Detect Emerging Pressure Injuries Before they are Visible on the Surface of the Skin with the Swift Ray 1
Pressure injuries (PIs) are considered a preventable condition because the associated risk factors that lead to them can be identified in advance using tools like the Braden Score. Despite this, up to 1 in 4 patients in skilled nursing facilities may develop a PI.¹
Studies have found that early signs of pressure injuries below the surface of the skin may precede visible changes by 3-10 days, and for deep tissue injuries (DTIs) this can be anywhere from 5-18 days.² In addition, clinical signs and symptoms which initially suggest a stage 1 PI may conceal a more serious, underlying DTI.
The Swift Ray 1 changes how and when you can detect pressure injuries. Today, the only practical method to find DTIs is to visually inspect the body for discoloration which can be incredibly challenging, especially on dark pigmented skin where signs of redness and discoloration are further obscured. By taking a thermal image of the patient with the Swift Ray 1 to measure temperature, clinicians get an objective, clinically validated metric to identify the early signs of emerging DTIs below the skin. Research has shown that using thermal imaging to detect DTIs is more effective than the Braden Scale for diagnosing and preventing these debilitating injuries.³
The Swift Ray 1 is a portable, integrated, easy to use medical imaging device that clips on to your smartphone. It works with our existing Swift Skin and Wound App and fits seamlessly into your existing clinical workflows so there are no extra steps and no duplicate documentation.
To see the Swift Ray 1 in action yourself, fill out the form below to book a demo.
[1] Cuddigan J, Berlowitz DR, Dan R, et al. Pressure ulcers in America: preva- lence, incidence, and implications for the future. Adv Skin Wound Care. 2001;14:208-215.
[2]Moore, Z., Patton, D., Rhodes, S. L., and O’Connor, T. (2017). Subepidermal moisture (SEM) and bioimpedance: a literature review of a novel method for early detection of pressure-induced tissue damage (pressure ulcers). Int Wound J 14, 331–337. doi:10.1111/iwj.12604.
[3] Cai, F., Jiang, X., Hou, X., Wang, D., Wang, Y., Deng, H., et al. (2021). Application of infrared thermography in the early warning of pressure injury: A prospective observational study. J Clin Nurs 30, 559–571. doi:10.1111/jocn.15576.