We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies. Cookie Policy.

Features Partner Sites Information LinkXpress hp
Sign In
Advertise with Us
GLOBETECH PUBLISHING LLC

Download Mobile App




IR Spectroscopy Improves Rheumatoid Arthritis Diagnosis

By MedImaging International staff writers
Posted on 23 Jul 2019
Image: Research shows IR spectroscopy can help identify rheumatoid arthritis (Photo courtesy of UB).
Image: Research shows IR spectroscopy can help identify rheumatoid arthritis (Photo courtesy of UB).
A rapid, non-invasive technique to detect rheumatoid arthritis (RA) based on infrared (IR) light could help clinicians assess disease progression and monitor treatment effectiveness.

Developed at the University of Birmingham (UB; United Kingdom), the new RA scanner combines three-dimensional (3D) digital imaging with IR spectroscopy to create an image of the blood content inside a patients’ hand. The patient first places a hand inside the scanner to create a 3D model by measuring its size and contours. Next, an IR beam is directed through each finger in turn, with the amount of IR light exiting it measured. The results indicate levels of absorbing chromophores such as oxyhaemoglobin, deoxyhaemoglobin, water, and lipids, which cause changes in scattering properties.

In RA, hyperplasia of stromal cells and infiltration of inflammatory cells into the synovium causes local pathophysiological changes, including lower oxygenation (hypoxia), increased blood vessel formation (synovial angiogenesis), and an increase in leukocyte and protein concentration, consequently altering the optical properties of an inflamed joint compared to a healthy one. In a pilot study involving 144 joints from 21 rheumatology patients, the researchers were able to accurately detect inflamed joints, with results closely matching diagnoses made using ultrasound and clinical examination. The study was published on June 20, 2019, in the Journal of Biomedical Optics.

“We know that diagnosing patients with RA early is really important, because early treatment leads to better long-term outcomes,” said senior author Professor Hamid Dehghani, PhD, a specialist in medical imaging at the UB School of Computer Science. “The system we have developed offers a low-cost, objective way of detecting the disease and potentially grading how advanced it is. We hope in time it will enable clinicians diagnose the disease earlier and offer personalized treatment plans for patients.”

In the modern rheumatology clinic, diagnosis is carried out through a combination of patient history, clinical examination, blood tests, questionnaires and medical imaging. But most imaging modalities are subject to specific disadvantages for detecting joint inflammation. Radiography suffers from low sensitivity to soft tissue changes, limiting its use for quantification of damage; and ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) require highly trained staff, leading to high cost and limited availability.

Related Links:
University of Birmingham

New
Post-Processing Imaging System
DynaCAD Prostate
Portable Color Doppler Ultrasound System
S5000
3T MRI Scanner
MAGNETOM Cima.X
New
Half Apron
Demi

Channels

Ultrasound

view channel
Image: The new implantable device for chronic pain management is small and flexible (Photo courtesy of The Zhou Lab at USC)

Wireless Chronic Pain Management Device to Reduce Need for Painkillers and Surgery

Chronic pain affects millions of people globally, often leading to long-term disability and dependence on opioid medications, which carry significant risks of side effects and addiction.... Read more

Nuclear Medicine

view channel
Image: The diagnostic tool could improve diagnosis and treatment decisions for patients with chronic lung infections (Photo courtesy of SNMMI)

Novel Bacteria-Specific PET Imaging Approach Detects Hard-To-Diagnose Lung Infections

Mycobacteroides abscessus is a rapidly growing mycobacteria that primarily affects immunocompromised patients and those with underlying lung diseases, such as cystic fibrosis or chronic obstructive pulmonary... Read more

Imaging IT

view channel
Image: The new Medical Imaging Suite makes healthcare imaging data more accessible, interoperable and useful (Photo courtesy of Google Cloud)

New Google Cloud Medical Imaging Suite Makes Imaging Healthcare Data More Accessible

Medical imaging is a critical tool used to diagnose patients, and there are billions of medical images scanned globally each year. Imaging data accounts for about 90% of all healthcare data1 and, until... Read more
Copyright © 2000-2025 Globetech Media. All rights reserved.