TouchDx Releases TermorTracer

TouchDx Releases TermorTracer, a iPhone Tremor Assessment for Patients with Parkinson's Disease, Multiple Sclerosis and Other Movement Disorders

TremorTracer the first iPhone App to quantify, assess and record tremor. Increased accuracy, ease & effectiveness.

San Diego, CA, March 23. 2010 - Touch Diagnostics (TouchDx) the leading developer of mHealth solutions for the iPhone, announced the introduction of TremorTracer. TremorTracer provides physicians a unique and revolutionary tremor assessment with which to identify, record, and monitor longitudinal change in writing skills for patients with fine motor function deficits, due to tremor.

For the first time a physician can use TremorTracer and the iPhone accurately, easily & conveniently record the standard tremor assessments currently performed by healthcare practitioners - which include evaluating a patient's hands at rest, in various postures and during action, and include writing samples of lines, spirals and handwriting.

Over 12 million people in the United States suffer from various types of tremor, most commonly associated with diseases such as Parkinson's Disease. Currently there is no diagnostic test available to detect Parkinson's, thus the diagnosis depends strictly on clinical observations. It is this clinical need and utility that prompted Touch Diagnostics to develop TremorTracer.

Touch Diagnostics' TremorTracer, is a suite of assessments that provides physicians and other healthcare practitioners a practical iPhone application for the monitoring of neurological symptoms associated with tremor. The TremorTracer application includes the following three tests:

The Archimedes Spiral Test - The Archimedes Spiral Test is a widely used shape tracing task used to assess various tremor types in patients. This test guides a patient to trace a spiral pattern on the iPhone screen, which is then recorded and used clinically for differential diagnosis. The Archimedes Spiral Test helps clinicians quantify normal motor activity as well as dysfunction in patients with movement disorders.

The Writing Test - An extension of the tracing test, the writing skills assessment allows doctors to direct the patient to write letters or characters on the screen and observe the results to determine the presence or absence of micrographia as a differential diagnosis in patients with tremor.

The Straight line Test - A time-based configurable test that guides the patient to trace straight lines across the screen and allows for observation and tracking of fine motor function and coordination deficits, in patients with movement disorders.

"With TremorTracer, doctors and healthcare practitioners for the first time have a tool in hand, to measure real time and longitudinal progression of tremor related illnesses.", stated Brent Gutekunst, CEO of Touch Diagnostics. "Detection, periodic and objective monitoring of tremor are essential for properly diagnosing and effectively treating patients with Movement Disorders The unique longitudinal monitoring that TremorTracer can provide is especially valuable for determining and optimizing pharmacologic intervention in Parkinson's patients."

Founded in 2009, Touch Diagnostics (TouchDx), is leading the mHealth revolution by providing healthcare practitioners solutions for better patient care, treatment and management. As pioneers in mHealth, TouchDx leverages the convenience, innovation and technical capabilities of the iPhone, to quantify the previously unquantifiable, enhance clinical surveillance, increase diagnostic sensitivity, and to yield better health outcomes for patients worldwide.