Dr. Ralph DaCosta’s team in the Biophotonics Program at the Ontario Cancer Institute, University Health Network has recently developed an innovative and handheld optical molecular imaging device that enables point-of-care analysis of acute and chronic wound infections using biophotonic technologies

Product Development

The hand-held imaging system leverages the unique capabilities of fluorescent imaging to provide clinicians with information about the bacteria present in a wound. It is a completely non-invasive technology that acquires images in a manner similar to standard point-and-shoot digital cameras. During wound assessment and treatment, it provides real-time bacteriological information which is otherwise unobtainable using industry standard wound assessment techniques, including conventional white light visualization. The device also provides high resolution image-based guidance for important wound care procedures including bacteriological swabbing, cleaning and debridement—thus increasing work efficiency and cost-effectiveness.

Coupled with proprietary wound care software, this new imaging technology allows longitudinal and quantitative monitoring of bacterial burden in the chronic wounds, thus helping to predict wound healing over time. The platform detects important pathogenic bacteria in real-time (e.g. staphylococcus, pseudomonas, streptococcus, etc.) within the wound bed and surrounding areas, thus providing new biological information about the chronic wound for rapid and objective clinical decision making.

Clinical Trial

This technology is currently under clinical trial involving 80 chronic wound patients with the Judy Dan Wound Research and Treatment Center (Toronto). Interim results from 30 patients have conclusively shown the technology:

• detects pathogenic bacteria that are invisible under standard white light visualization - in real-time, non-invasively, without contrast agents
• guides the collection of swabs and biopsies
• guides wound cleaning and debridement
• monitors the response to treatment over time (quantitatively)
• can distinguish between key pathogenic bacterial species
• can be combined with proprietary software to track wound healing status quantitatively over time
• is safe, easy to use, and can be integrated into routine clinical practice.

For more information please contact:

Mark Taylor
(416) 581-7404
mark.taylor@uhnresearch.ca

Previously Featured Technologies:

Radiation Oncology Portfolio

Media Tracker

Handheld Imaging Device

A) White light image of diabetic foot ulcer and B) corresponding fluorescence image showing presence of (otherwise invisible) pathogenic bacteria (bright red color) in and around the wound bed (arrows).

This technology has been combined with Smartphone infrastructure for
Telemedicine-based  wound care.