Longport seeks OK for scanner.(application for FDA approval of an ultrasound scanning device)

SWARTHMORE - Longport Inc. has filed a Food and Drug Administration application to market a new ultrasound scanning device developed to detect and analyze skin disorders and injuries.

The Delaware County company's Longport Digital Scanner incorporates a modified laptop computer and a hand-held probe to capture images of skin and the layers of tissue below the skin's surface.

What's more, the device allows clinicians to check the status of a wound and its surrounding tissue without having to remove protective bandages, and running the risk of infection, or resorting to an invasive - and painful - procedure like a biopsy.

"This is painless for patients," said Bonita Weyrauch, the company's clinical trial coordinator. "Today, patients don't want surgical procedures unless they are absolutely necessary. This is non-invasive. Insurance companies will like it, too, because it's more cost-effective."

An early prototype of the scanner is being tested at West Jersey Health System's Camden division, where Longport manages the hospital's wound care center. The scanner is being used to evaluate the effectiveness of treatments for patients with chronic wounds. …