Key Findings:
- NIRS significantly outperformed traditional clinical evaluations in identifying pressure injury (PI) risk.
- NIRS achieved a 100% concurrence rate with all positive clinical assessments for PIs and showed a staggering 92.3% detection rate in the outpatient population, validating its reliability as a diagnostic tool.
- NIRS evaluations served as a direct catalyst for modifications in personalized care of PIs.
Charlotte, NC (April 9, 2026) – A new study presented today at the Symposium on Advanced Wound Care (SAWC) Spring | Wound Healing Society (WHS) reveals that near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), a non-invasive analytical imaging technique, can detect tissue compromise in pressure injuries before progression into a clinically visible wound occurs. In research led by Charles Andersen, MD, Chief of the Vascular/Endovascular Surgery Service and Wound Care Service at Madigan Army Medical Center, NIRS has proven to be highly advantageous in the treatment and management of pressure injuries (PIs) where current preventative strategies to mitigate injury risk continues to prove challenging.
The findings of this observational study highlight the potential of NIRS in the early detection of compromised tissue and improving PI management. Researchers evaluated 100 high-risk patients (including 87 inpatients and 13 outpatients) to determine the efficacy of NIRS in preventing PIs.
At-risk profiles were initially determined based on traditional Braden scores and clinical risk factors, with assessments focused on the sacrum and bilateral heels. Following standard clinical evaluations, the researchers utilized the SnapshotNIR device (Kent Imaging, Calgary, Canada) to move beyond surface-level observation by measuring deep-tissue oxygen saturation and hemoglobin levels.
They established a precise, quantitative benchmark for early-stage compromised tissue (NIRS-positive) whereby tissue at risk for PI was defined by any changes in oxyhemoglobin (HbO) and/or deoxyhemoglobin (Hb) of greater than 0.1 compared to the surrounding tissue. Any NIRS-positive findings triggered patient off‑loading and personalized care modifications.
The study revealed a significant diagnostic gap, with NIRS detecting NIRS-positivity in 83% of patients and resulting in NIRS-directed changes in care for 65% of patients based on heel assessments and 46% based on sacral assessments. The high diagnostic sensitivity was especially evident in outpatients where 92.3% of this cohort showed NIRS-positivity for PIs, identifying many cases that human eyes with traditional clinical evaluation could not detect.
Additionally, NIRS data demonstrated complete alignment with clinical assessments, with 100% of patients with high-risk Braden scores (<13) exhibiting positive NIRS findings.
Most significantly, this technology addresses a critical gap in healthcare equity. Traditional visual assessments for damaged or compromised tissue relies heavily on the detection of erythema (redness of the skin), a metric that is not reliable when assessing patients with darker skin hues. Assessment by NIRS nullifies this disparity by utilizing quantifiable physiological markers (changes in HbO and Hb) therefore ensuring that care modifications are driven by data rather than visual interpretation.
Beyond its diagnostic utility, NIRS holds significant promise for optimizing holistic wound care strategies. Dr. Andersen and his colleagues are investigating how real-time physiological data from NIRS can precisely inform the timing of off-loading, nutrition, and moisture control to optimize long-term PI treatment and management.
Future longitudinal studies will be essential to translate these insights into a standardized clinical protocol, ensuring that NIRS-guided interventions become the new benchmark for pressure injury prevention.