Pioneering technique may enable early diagnosis of osteoarthritis

A new screening technique could allow the identification of osteoarthritis before people show any clinical symptoms, says a team of UK experts.

Spatially offset Raman spectroscopy  involves shining a laser through the skin to analyse the chemistry of the underlying bone and has the potential to provide new information about if a person is more prone to developing osteoarthritis.

Tests using the new screening technique on human bone samples – some with osteoarthritis and some matched controls without – found noticeable differences in the bone matrix chemistry at the knee joint of the two sample groups. Initial changes could therefore be seen in the bone and this used to identify people who may have an increased risk of developing osteoarthritis long before the condition has manifested itself as severe cartilage damage and joint degeneration.

The technique does not use any ionising radiation, so people are not subjected to the radiation that normal X-ray techniques expose them to.

“We are at an early stage in this exciting project but we are already seeing some promising results that should help improve our knowledge about how osteoarthritis develops,” explains Prof Allen Goodship who is involved in the work.

“It is quite possible that in the future the Raman technique could be effective as a screening tool to help identify patients who may be at risk of developing the condition. By identifying the disease earlier, healthcare professionals can recommend lifestyle changes that may help slow the progress of the disease.”