This article is based on a symposium held at the Wounds UK conference in Harrogate on 11th November 2015. Given the great diversity in wound care, there is a need for targeted diagnostics that objectively influence choice of treatment. Zena Moore called for a critical approach to pressure ulcer prevention and presented data in support of the SEM ScannerTM (Bruin Biometrics), an innovative diagnostic tool that is able to detect damage under the skin that is not yet visually apparent.