Introduction:
With the discovery of various astounding applications and technologies, the medical field has entered an exciting new age. Along with various other specialties, the practice of dermatology is evolving rapidly. The new inventions have changed the approach to diagnosing and managing several skin disorders. Artificial intelligent uses computer programs to simulate the advanced intelligence of human beings. Though it has been in hand for a long time, its application in dermatology just recently began. Nevertheless, computer programs have found their way to aid dermatologists in diagnosing and identifying the mechanisms of diseases like melanoma.
A thorough understanding of artificial intelligence is necessary for dermatologists. In addition, the abundance of clinical and microscopic images and data in dermatology can contribute to the next massive application of artificial intelligence in the field of medicine.
Though skin disorders have been under study for a long time, the exact mechanism of chronic recurrent skin disorders is not entirely known. Artificial intelligence has opened new windows in the field through deep learning. Research has shown positive outcomes in the effective diagnosis of several skin disorders. To date, several artificial intelligence studies are being conducted on skin disorders like psoriasis, cancer, onychomycosis, and atopic dermatitis. A better understanding of the disease mechanism and progress will help evaluate a better medical and surgical intervention with more efficiency and fewer side effects.
What Is Artificial Intelligence?
Artificial intelligence is a highly advanced technology to understand the mechanism behind the thoughts and intelligent behavior of human beings and utilize this knowledge to simulate human intelligence in machines. It involves developing computer programs that have the ability to carry out complex analyses that only humans can do.
What Is the Application of Artificial Intelligence in Dermatology?
Despite advancements in medicine and technology, several chronic skin disorders still need to be fully understood. The introduction of artificial intelligence to the field of dermatology has bought a new scope in understanding and evaluating the mechanisms of various chronic recurrent skin disorders. In the past decade, artificial intelligence has found a significant role in different fields of dermatology, like skin cancer, psoriasis, and eczema.
What Is the Role of Artificial Intelligence in Skin Cancer?
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Researchers are constantly trying to identify the roles of artificial intelligence in screening and diagnosing melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers. The current network of artificial intelligence in detecting melanoma has a high specificity and sensitivity.
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It has enabled the deep learning of skin tumors and could classify cancerous skin lesions with the help of dermatoscopic data and clinical image inputs.
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Studies suggest that the machine is proficiently comparable to board-certified dermatologists in identifying and classifying the most simple and deadliest skin cancers. It is considered a landmark in the merging of artificial intelligence with dermatology.
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Despite the breakthrough developments, the study was associated with some drawbacks too. The study did not involve demographic information, and though deep learning was thought to increase the sensitivity and specificity of the screening procedure, the number of clinical images and dermoscopic data required for the system would be vast.
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The advanced knowledge of artificial intelligence could also be used to classify skin lesions and determine the appropriate treatment strategies.
What Is the Role of Artificial Intelligence in Atopic Dermatitis?
Various researchers found an artificial neural network that can differentiate skin affected with atopic dermatitis from normal, unaffected skin using information from image models only. However, a small experimental model was used, and the finding led to the development of advanced procedures for a better artificial intelligence process.
What Is the Role of Artificial Intelligence in Psoriasis?
Artificial intelligence can assess the clinical status of psoriasis and evaluate personalized treatment protocols depending on the extent of the disease and individual factors. It is also used for predicting treatment outcomes. Previously existing datasets are used by computers to assess and predict the disease. Studies have revealed a high accuracy with the models. The system could also be used for risk assessment.
What Is the Role of Artificial Intelligence in Onychomycosis?
A recent study in 2018 to identify the diagnosing potential and accuracy of artificial intelligence shows that the machine could diagnose onychomycosis with image datasets with much higher sensitivity and specificity than the board-certified dermatologists who participated in the study.
What Are the Future Opportunities and Challenges for applying Artificial Intelligence in Dermatology?
Several researches and studies have revealed the significance of artificial intelligence in screening, diagnosing, and classifying chronic skin disorders. However, certain challenges need to be addressed. They are
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The current method used for computer screening is based on the available image datasets. However, the dermatoscopic data for different skin diseases need to be more comprehensive, and the quality needs to be uniform.
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Artificial intelligence and medical research come from different fields, and a multidisciplinary approach is needed for the analysis.
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Using artificial intelligence to classify a wide variety of dermatological disorders will be a challenge.
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The ethical, legal, and data privacy issues associated with artificial intelligence should be sorted out.
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The current assessment uses only clinical photographs for disease diagnosis and classification; however, complete integration of clinical information like patient history, gender, age, and other factors is needed.
Conclusion:
The significance of artificial intelligence is emerging at a fast pace in dermatology. Advanced developments have great potential to revolutionize treatment strategies and patient care. It has excellent capability to improve the sensitivity and specificity of disease screening and diagnosis of skin lesions like malignancies. Though artificial intelligence has come into existence for a long time, more research and information are needed about the dermoscopic and clinical data of various skin types and skin disorders for better screening and diagnosis outcomes.
A better diagnosis and understanding of the disease process will help evaluate a better treatment plan with more efficiency and fewer adverse effects. With artificial intelligence developing skills better than a board-certified dermatologist screening diseases, it should not be considered a threat to their abilities. Instead, the technology should be used in a positive manner as an adjunct in clinical practice. A better understanding of artificial intelligence concepts will help dermatologists provide better care.
