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A new method of detecting rheumatoid arthritis using infrared light could offer an objective method of diagnosing the disease and monitoring the effectiveness of treatment, reveals a study from the University of Birmingham.
The fast, noninvasive technique could help clinicians diagnose the disease earlier and evaluate the effectiveness of the treatment chosen to control the progression of the disease.
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease in which the body's immune system attacks the lining of the joints, causing inflammation and painful swelling. It involves about 500,000 people in the UK and the current diagnosis is based on a combination of physical examinations by a consulting rheumatologist, blood tests and X-ray scans or ultrasound scans. Their badysis can be time consuming, but also subjective, as it requires highly trained staff.
The new technique, developed by a team from the University of Birmingham School of Computer Science in partnership with the Health Technologies Institute and rheumatologists at the NIHR's Birmingham Biomedical Research Center, combines 3D digital imaging with infrared spectroscopy to create 3D image of the patient's hand that can be used to produce an objective and quantifiable badessment.
The patient places a hand inside the scanner, which first creates a 3D model of the hand, measuring its size and contours. In the next step, an infrared beam is directed through each finger and the amount of light exiting through the finger is measured. As oxygenated blood and deoxygenated blood absorb the light differently, it is possible to use infrared imaging to calculate the warning signs of RA, such as hypoxia – decreased rate of death. Oxygen in the blood – and increase in the level of blood content, index of inflammation.
"We know that it is very important to quickly diagnose patients with RA because early treatment leads to better long-term results," says Professor Hamid Dehghani, who led the study. "The system we have developed provides an objective and inexpensive way to detect the disease and badess its degree of advancement.We hope it will enable clinicians to diagnose the disease sooner. and offer personalized treatment plans to patients. "
As part of a pilot study, the team examined 144 joints of 21 patients in rheumatology and was able to accurately detect inflamed joints. The results were closely correlated with ultrasound and clinical examination. The results are published in the Journal of Biomedical Optics.
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The research was funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, through SciPhy4Health CDT, and is part of the Research Project on Arthritis versus Arthritis (RACE). The next step for the team is to look for ways to miniaturize the scanner and its accuracy.
Notes to the editor:
- The University of Birmingham is ranked among the 100 best institutions in the world. His work brings together people from around the world, including researchers, teachers and more than 6,500 international students from more than 150 countries.
- Lighter et al (2019). "Detection of inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis with the help of a Fourier transform badysis of dorsal optical transmission images of a pilot study". Journal of Biomedical Optics.
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