The advance of the technology promises precise identification, in just a few minutes, of rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. A new approach, developed by researchers from South Korea, allows the differentiation between the two conditions, as well as the evaluation of the severity of the disease, all from a small amount of synovial fluid, a discovery that could redefine rheumatology standards, reports News.ro.
The new diagnostic platform could greatly improve the current methods that usually involve multiple tests and examinations.
Based on artificial intelligence (AI), the test can diagnose osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis with an accuracy of 98.1%, analyzing only a small sample of joints (synovial fluid).
The quick test not only differentiates the two common forms of arthritis, but can evaluate the severity of rheumatoid arthritis, allowing doctors to personalize the treatments more effectively.
The platform works with the help of a sophisticated sensor with gold nanoparticles, integrated with analysis based on automatic learning, and offers faster, cheaper and precise results than existing blood tests or imaging investigations.
According to the report published in SMALL magazine, this system offers a practical, profitable and large -scale implementation potential for arthritis diagnosis in clinical units.
Why does a quick diagnosis in arthritis matter
In the case of millions of patients who face joint pain daily, the rapid establishment of arthritis is of major importance.
Although these conditions share symptoms such as pain and inflammation, their causes and treatments are fundamentally different.
Osteoarthritis results mainly from the mechanical wear of the joints, while rheumatoid arthritis is caused by an attack on the immune system.
Currently, doctors use questionnaires, imaging tests and laboratory analyzes to diagnose arthritis – methods that can be time -consuming, expensive and sometimes inconclusive, especially in early stages.
The current liquid biopsy tests have an accuracy of 70-80%, and the results generate difficulties in the correct identification of patients in the early stages of the disease.
The new method uses a technique called SPECTROSCOPIE RAMA Improved surface (SERS), which can detect tiny amounts of molecules by capturing their unique vibrations, as a chemical fingerprint.
In order to further increase the sensitivity of the system, the researchers made a paper covered with gold nanoparticles with a sharp structure – “in the form of hedgehogs” – capable of significantly amplify the signal obtained from the synovial fluid.
When a small drop of synovial fluid is placed on this gold covered paper, the device recognizes a distinct set of optical signals, specific to the composition of the sample, which is then analyzed with the help of the automatic learning algorithms.
The model was trained to classify these signatures, reaching a sensitivity of 97.3% and a specificity of 100% in differentiating osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
The researchers were not limited to distinguishing the types of arthritis. Using advanced mathematical instruments, they have identified and quantified the specific molecules in the synovial fluid that can serve as biomarkers.
Their analysis highlighted distinct metabolic profiles for each condition. Certain substances have been more abundant in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, while other substances were predominant in the case of osteoarthritis.
The team also demonstrated the ability of the platform to classify the severity of rheumatoid arthritis by analyzing the number of white blood cells in patient samples.
They divided the rheumatoid arthritis samples into three groups, depending on the level of white cells (20,000), and the system correctly classified the severity with an accuracy of 98.1%, a sensitivity of 98.7%and a specificity of 98.7%.
Diagnosis and treatment
Researchers believe that this technology can become a valuable health tool. The platform is promising as a strategy of initial patients evaluation, before expensive imaging investigations, or as an alternative to standard blood tests.
Unlike traditional diagnostic methods, which require expensive equipment and complex preparations, this test is made by a simple process, in a single stage, which makes it profitable and potentially accessible.
When patients present with joint pain and inflammation, doctors could use this technology to quickly determine whether it is rheumatoid osteoarthritis or arthritis, and, in the latter case, to evaluate the severity of the disease.
This rapid diagnosis would allow earlier and more accurate treatment plans, enhancing the results for millions of patients around the world.
