PRISM Clinical education hub

PRISM gives wound teams a measured path from assessment to action

PRISM* brings perfusion, bacterial status, infection staging, structural correction, and longitudinal monitoring into one imaging-first workflow. This page helps clinicians understand how the algorithm works, how Kent Imaging technology supports each step, and where to find the evidence, cases, and tools needed for implementation.

*PRISM is a clinical framework developed and clinically vetted by practicing clinicians

Why PRISM matters

Chronic wounds, especially diabetic lower-extremity wounds, often stall because three modifiable barriers remain hidden at the bedside: inadequate perfusion, unrecognized bacterial burden, and biomechanical deformity. PRISM gives clinicians a way to separate those barriers and respond to each one with documented findings.

Clinical foundation

Evidence-based imaging workflow

Technology role

How the Snapshot Suite supports

What is PRISM?

PRISM stands for Perfusion Imaging, Regional Bacterial Status, Infection Staging, Structural Correction, and Maintenance & Monitoring. In plain language, it is a structured algorithm that helps wound care teams move from objective imaging findings to the next clinical decision without relying on visual impression alone. PRISM is published by a multidisciplinary panel of wound care, podiatric, and vascular specialists.

Prism illustration with light spectrum blending into the section background

Measure perfusion first

SnapshotNIR maps tissue oxygen saturation and related hemoglobin views so clinicians can see whether the wound environment can support healing before they escalate treatment.

Map bacterial burden early

SnapshotGLO reveals red and cyan fluorescence before wound manipulation, helping clinicians localize bacterial burden that may not be obvious on exam.

Standardize what happens next

The algorithm ties those findings to infection staging, structural decisions, and follow-up intervals so care can stay consistent across providers and settings.

PRISM Summary: Objective imaging supports a repeatable clinical standard, which supports consistency of care, practitioner adoption, and stronger implementation of Snapshot technology within the wound workflow.

The five components of the algorithm

PRISM is designed as a sequence that can be repeated at each encounter. Perfusion Imaging, Regional Bacterial Status, and Infection Staging happen every visit. Structural Correction and Maintenance & Monitoring are activated according to what the imaging and clinical context show.

P

Perfusion Imaging

Use near-infrared spectroscopy to map StO2, HbO2, and DeOxyHb so perfusion risk is visible before the wound is manipulated.

R

Regional Bacterial Status

Capture bacterial autofluorescence before hygiene to localize red and cyan fluorescence and document the baseline bacterial picture.

I

Infection Staging

Translate fluorescence findings into staged, evidence-informed antimicrobial decisions that can be documented and trended over time.

S

Structural Correction

Address deformity, recurrent pressure, or osteomyelitis-driven anatomy when wound closure will not hold without biomechanical correction.

M

Maintenance & Monitoring

Set an imaging cadence, reinforce offloading and education, and coordinate multidisciplinary follow-up to protect healing progress.

Interactive Walkthrough

How the algorithm moves from image to intervention

PRISM is imaging-first by design. Capture NIRS before wound hygiene to assess perfusion. Capture BAF before manipulation to map bacterial burden. Stage infection using the fluorescence findings, then decide whether the case needs structural correction, closer monitoring, or urgent escalation.

1. Start with physiology

SnapshotNIR shows whether tissue oxygenation is adequate, in a vigilance zone, or significantly compromised.

2. Add bacterial context

SnapshotGLO identifies wound-bed, periwound, or spreading fluorescence so bacterial burden can be localized before cleansing or debridement.

3. Match action to stage

Use staged interventions that range from standard care to targeted antimicrobials, tissue sampling, or urgent infectious disease and vascular consultation.

4. Reassess and document

Repeat the sequence at follow-up visits so teams can confirm bacterial clearance, monitor perfusion trends, and standardize documentation across providers.

Decision matrix at a glance

A

StO2 above 70% with minimal bacterial burden supports maintenance, offloading, and routine re-imaging.

B

StO2 above 70% with significant burden supports fluorescence-guided cleansing, debridement, and stage-matched antimicrobials.

F

StO2 41–69% with minimal burden calls for closer surveillance and trend-based vascular vigilance.

E

StO2 41–69% with significant burden supports cautious cleansing, antimicrobial dressings, and escalation if progress stalls.

C

StO2 below 40% with minimal burden shifts the priority to vascular evaluation and perfusion optimization.

D

StO2 below 40% with significant burden calls for infection control and vascular intervention in parallel.

S

Persistent burden with a structural driver activates the surgical and biomechanical pathway toward durable closure.

V

Spreading fluorescence with infection concern is an emergency pathway that increases urgency, sampling, imaging, and consultation.

View PRISM decision matrix
PRISM clinical decision matrix and workflow

How to use PRISM in practice

PRISM is built for routine use at the point of care. The sequence supports wound specialists, podiatric and vascular surgeons, and multidisciplinary limb-preservation teams that need a common decision path across visits and care settings.

Supported by SnapshotNIR

SnapshotNIR provides real-time tissue oxygen saturation, oxyhemoglobin, deoxyhemoglobin, and total hemoglobin views so clinicians can classify perfusion before they choose debridement intensity, vascular escalation, or follow-up cadence.

Supported by SnapshotGLO

SnapshotGLO captures bacterial autofluorescence to show red fluorescence from general bacteria and cyan fluorescence associated with Pseudomonas, helping teams target debridement, document clearance, and support antimicrobial stewardship.

Supported by future technologies

Future innovations from Kent will be developed with the PRISM algorithm at their core, extending standardized, imaging-driven wound assessment across new modalities and clinical applications.

Step-by-step implementation

01

Capture baseline clinical images and measurements

Document the wound, periwound, comorbidities, and recent interventions at the start of the encounter.

02

Perform NIRS imaging before wound manipulation

Use SnapshotNIR to assess StO2 and identify whether perfusion is adequate, intermediate, or significantly compromised.

03

Perform BAF imaging before hygiene or debridement

Use SnapshotGLO to localize bacterial burden and assign the next infection-staging step from wound-bed to spreading patterns.

04

Act on the combined findings

Match the imaging to vascular referral, targeted antimicrobials, conservative or aggressive debridement, or structural correction planning.

05

Repeat, trend, and coordinate follow-up

Re-image at the appropriate interval, document bacterial clearance and perfusion trend, and coordinate offloading, glycemic management, and multidisciplinary follow-up.Device showing four imaging views

Evidence, cases, & teaching materials

PRISM is strongest when clinicians can move from framework to proof. This hub is designed to hold the publication, clinical posters, real-world cases, expert commentary, downloadable tools, and follow-up education that support broader understanding and adoption. Materials will be added as they become available.

Case Library - COMING SOON!

Expert Perspectives - COMING SOON!

Ask the Community - COMING SOON!

Resource library

Click the links below to access resources that are already available.

SnapshotNIR and SnapshotGLO are Better Together

Clinical FAQ

Supporting evidence and practical steps needed to use PRISM consistently across sites of care.

When should PRISM be used during a wound encounter?

PRISM starts before wound hygiene or debridement. Capture NIRS first to assess tissue oxygenation, then capture BAF before manipulation so bacterial burden is documented at baseline. That sequence gives the clinician an objective starting point for infection staging, escalation decisions, and follow-up planning at the same visit.

How does PRISM help with consistency across providers?

PRISM gives teams a shared order of operations and a shared language for what the images mean. When perfusion, bacterial status, infection stage, and structural triggers are documented the same way, it becomes easier to align treatment decisions across wound clinics, hospital services, and limb-preservation programs.

What role do SnapshotNIR and SnapshotGLO play in the framework?

SnapshotNIR supports the perfusion decision by showing tissue oxygenation and related hemoglobin views at the bedside. SnapshotGLO supports the bacterial-status and infection-staging decisions by localizing red and cyan fluorescence before wound manipulation. Together they provide the physiologic inputs that PRISM uses to guide the next step.

Is PRISM meant to replace clinical judgment?

No. PRISM is designed to support clinical judgment with repeatable, point-of-care imaging. It gives clinicians a structured way to document what they see, act earlier on hidden barriers to healing, and monitor whether the response is changing over time without presenting the technology as the decision-maker.

Bring PRISM into your wound care workflow

About, contact, and partnerships

For partnership inquiries and clinician follow-up, please email clinical@kentimaging.com

Kent Imaging develops non-invasive imaging tools that support point-of-care clinical decision-making in wound, vascular, and surgical applications.