Early Detection of Bedsores: Innovations in Scanner Technology

In geriatric care, the persistent issue of pressure injuries is being actively addressed by scanner technologies that prioritize early detection.

The management of pressure injuries in older adults remains challenging due to factors like aging skin and decreased mobility, and current international guidance emphasizes structured risk assessment, timely offloading, and skin protection as the standard of care. These challenges require multidisciplinary teamwork—nurses, wound care specialists, physical therapists, and dietitians—who can translate scanner alerts into timely offloading, mobility plans, skin care, and nutrition support.

Against this backdrop, early detection is valuable because it can surface risk before damage progresses. Imaging-based tools—such as sub-epidermal moisture scanners, thermography, and near-infrared spectroscopy—aim to detect physiologic changes (for example, localized moisture or temperature differentials) that can precede visible skin changes, supporting earlier assessment and offloading.

By translating early-detection signals and continuous pressure maps into earlier offloading and escalation, organizations aim to reduce progression to severe injuries and related complications.