Maas Clinic adds rare whole-body skin cancer imaging in Northern California

The Maas Clinic in San Francisco says it is the first medical facility in Northern California to offer the VECTRA WB360 whole-body imaging system, a 3D tool designed to detect skin cancer earlier. The rollout comes with the addition of dermatologist Susana Ortiz-Urda and gives patients a new option for routine screening and pre-surgical evaluation.

Why it matters: - Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States, so earlier detection can affect outcomes for a large number of patients. - The VECTRA WB360 can document the full skin surface in 3D and track changes over time, which may help catch melanoma and other skin cancers before they are visible in a standard exam. - The Maas Clinic says the system is now available in Northern California for the first time, with fewer than 20 systems in use nationwide.

What happened: - The Maas Clinic, in partnership with Quantum Dermatology, announced it is the first medical facility in Northern California to offer the VECTRA WB360 Whole Body Imaging System. - The clinic says it is one of only two providers on the West Coast with the system. - The rollout follows the recent addition of Susana Ortiz-Urda, MD, PhD, MBA, a board-certified dermatologist and clinical professor at the University of California, San Francisco. - The new system gives Ortiz-Urda a tool that the clinic says no other dermatologist in Northern California can currently offer patients.

The details: - The VECTRA WB360 is a non-invasive 3D photography platform made by Canfield Scientific. - The system uses 46 stereo vision pods and cross-polarized lighting tuned for skin imaging. - It captures a patient's entire skin surface in a single session and produces a macro-quality 3D body map in seconds. - Paired with DermaGraphix software, the system tags individual moles and lesions and compares them across visits. - The software highlights subtle changes that can signal melanoma or another skin cancer before those changes are visible in a traditional visual exam. - The American Cancer Society estimates about 5.4 million cases of basal cell and squamous cell carcinoma are diagnosed each year in roughly 3.3 million people. - The Skin Cancer Foundation estimates one in five Americans will develop some form of skin cancer by age 70. - Corey Maas, MD, FACS, said technology that improves early detection matters to patients and the community. - Maas also said Quantum Dermatology expands the specialized care available at The Maas Clinic and reflects a focus on patient health before aesthetic outcomes. - Ortiz-Urda said a traditional total-body skin exam can miss gradual changes because it relies heavily on memory and handheld photos. - Ortiz-Urda said the VECTRA WB360 lets her follow a single lesion across visits with more precision than an exam room camera. - Ortiz-Urda said the system may be especially useful for patients with a personal or family history of melanoma or many moles.

Between the lines: - The purchase positions The Maas Clinic and Quantum Dermatology in a very small national group using a more advanced screening tool. - The move also ties dermatology more closely to the clinic's plastic and reconstructive surgery services, creating a clearer path from screening to procedure planning. - The emphasis on early detection suggests the clinic is using the imaging platform as both a medical differentiator and a patient-safety tool.

What's next: - Patients can book a VECTRA WB360 scan as part of a routine skin cancer screening or a pre-surgical evaluation before a plastic or reconstructive procedure. - Patients can schedule appointments through The Maas Clinic. - Patients can also receive tax-deductible screenings through the Ortiz-Matulich Melanoma Foundation. - Quantum Dermatology says it will use the system as part of its skin cancer surveillance and broader dermatology practice.

The bottom line: - The Maas Clinic is betting that rare whole-body imaging will strengthen early skin cancer detection and deepen its dermatology offering in Northern California.