Patent ID: 7415143

Claim:
A method, comprising: a) providing i) at least one initial body image from a subject; and ii) at least one follow up body image from said subject, wherein said follow up body image is taken at a later time than said initial body image; and b) comparing said initial body image and said follow up body image to identify at least one mole or lesion that i) is nonuniform wherein the nonuniformity comprises lacking biaxial symmetry and lacking a consistent gradient of one or more feature from the center of said mole or lesion to the edge of said mole or lesion that interfaces with normal skin for the full circumference of said mole or lesion, wherein said feature is selected from the group consisting of reflectance and absorbance, and ii) is changed in said follow up body image compared to said initial body image, wherein the change is selected from the group consisting of 1) more than 80% increase in surface area, and 2) detection of a new feature of said mole or lesion, wherein said new feature is selected from A) nonuniform expansion of pigment from one edge of said mole or lesion into adjacent normal skin and B) inconsistent gradient of pigmentation from the center of said mole or lesion to the edge of said mole or lesion that interfaces with normal skin for the full circumference of said mole or lesion and 3) is present in said follow up body image and is absent in said initial body image, wherein said nonuniformity and change are indicative of potential melanoma.