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Melanomas are cancerous skin lesions that are notorious for their ability to metastasize at a relatively early stage of development. The key to improved survival in all affected individuals remains early diagnosis and treatment. We have recently developed a transient thermal (infrared – IR) imaging system that allows for accurate measurement of temperature differences on the skin surface to aid the detection and diagnosis of metabolically active or malignant skin lesions. The existence of a simple, quantitative, objective, and noninvasive in vivo screening and diagnostic tool for the evaluation of pigmented lesions would be invaluable for the early detection of melanoma in a variety of clinical settings. Therefore, we are currently conducting a patient study to verify the feasibility of the described IR imaging tool in distinguishing benign pigmented lesions from malignant ones and quantifying the malignant potential of …