Rochester, NY - September 28, 2005 - Logical Images, a point-of-care diagnostic software company, has donated VisualDx, an image-based disease identification system, to 32 hospitals, medical centers and military bases in states receiving Katrina evacuees. Healthcare organizations in the following states have received this software: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Indiana, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Texas, and Washington.

VisualDx is being used in these locations to aid in the early detection of potentially deadly infections such as those caused by Vibrio vulnificus. V. vulnificus is a gram-negative bacterium endemic to Gulf waters. Infection can occur when skin wounds or soft tissue is exposed to Katrina floodwaters. The immunocompromised, especially those with chronic liver disease, are particularly vulnerable to infection, and in these patients the disease can be fatal. Large numbers of the Gulf population may have been exposed to this bacteria, and to date, there have been seven cases of hurricane-associated Vibrio vulnificus wound infections, four of which have been fatal.

"The majority of doctors caring for Katrina evacuees have no more than 24 hours of dermatology training and may have never dealt with Vibrio vulnificus or other diseases that are endemic to the Gulf coast. This unfamiliarity may make it difficult to recognize the important clues pointing to this rare diagnosis," said Dr. Art Papier, Chief Scientific Officer and founder of Logical Images. "VisualDx does not play the role of the doctor. Instead, it acts as a road map to help the astute clinician reach an accurate, early diagnosis."

After physicians enter basic observations about their patient such as lesion type, distribution, symptoms, signs, and medical history, the system instantly returns photographs and clinical information, sorted by relevance to their patient. This makes the software extraordinarily powerful, as it assists doctors and first responders in quickly and accurately diagnosing illnesses that may be outside his or her experience or specialized training.

VisualDx is based upon the world’s largest digital library of medical images, comprising over one million images taken from leading research institutions, such as New York University, the University of California Los Angeles, and the University of Rochester as well as large private collections from physician experts around the world. These images encompass a full spectrum of skin types and capture a wide range of variation in the presentation of a disease. The photographs and clinical content are networked by nearly twenty thousand relationships to facilitate access to the images and text without having to know the name of the disease. There are a number of modules available, including:

About Logical Images
Based in Rochester, NY, Logical Images is a company comprised of full-time digital imaging experts, leaders in computer-based design and knowledge management, skilled image archivists, and practicing physicians. Logical Images develops products to speed visual recognition and clinical decision making. The company’s comprehensive library of digital medical photographs and easy-to-use software created by international experts helps clinicians in critical jobs make better decisions.