For people with eczema, tracking how bad a flare-up is can be frustrating and subjective. A new study tested whether an artificial intelligence (AI) system could help by analyzing photos of eczema lesions and grading their severity—specifically the redness (erythema), scratches (excoriation), and thickened skin (lichenification).
The researchers tested the AI on 41 images of eczema lesions. They found the AI's ratings for redness had 'substantial agreement' with the consensus ratings from a panel of dermatologists, matching them about 81% of the time. Its ratings for scratches and thickened skin showed 'moderate agreement' with the experts.
It's important to note this was a very early, small-scale test. The study only used 41 images, and severe cases were underrepresented. The researchers also noted the sample was too small to know how well the AI works across all skin tones or different parts of the body. This is a proof-of-concept, not a ready-to-use tool. More research with many more people and photos is needed to see if this AI can be a reliable, standardized helper for doctors and patients.