Cameras and ultrasound could take the guesswork out of wound care
NCT ID NCT07830849
First seen Sep 21, 2026 · Last updated Sep 21, 2026
Summary
Chronic wounds are slow-healing skin injuries often linked to diabetes, poor circulation, or pressure. Doctors usually judge these wounds by eye, which can lead to inconsistent assessments. This pilot study tests whether a combination of non-invasive imaging techniques, including ultrasound, digital photography, infrared thermography, and laser Doppler imaging, can measure wound features more objectively. About 40 adults with pressure or venous ulcers will receive repeated clinical checks and imaging scans, and researchers will compare how well the images agree with standard clinical wound scores.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Multimodal non-invasive wound imaging (ultrasound, high-resolution digital imaging, infrared thermography, and laser Doppler imaging)
- What this could lead to
- If it works, doctors could use imaging to track chronic wounds more consistently, which may help tailor treatment and spot healing problems earlier.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small pilot study with about 40 people, so it can only show whether the approach is feasible. The imaging may not match clinical assessments well enough, and results from a few centers may not apply everywhere.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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About 40 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Apr 2026
- Expected to finish
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Sep 2026
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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18 years and older
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Patients of both sexes aged over 18 years; * Patients with a chronic venous or pressure wound. In the case of venous wounds, the diagnosis must be confirmed by Doppler examination. The wound must have been present for at least 6 weeks and show less than 50% reduction in wound area after 30 days of standard treatment; * Patients with chronic wounds up to Grade III. Exclusion Criteria: * Pregnancy or breastfeeding; * Patients with signs of systemic infection (MEWS \> 0); * Patients with active neoplastic disease, hematological disorders affecting coagulation, or systemic inflammatory autoimmune diseases (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus); * Individuals unable to manage their own interests or provide valid informed consent, even if represented by a legal representative who has provided consent to participation; * Ankle-Brachial Index (ABI) \< 0.8; * Body Mass Index (BMI) \> 40.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, The BioRobotics Institute
Pontedera, Pisa, 56025, Italy
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