Prototype Detects Rheumatoid Arthritis

Another motivation for the development of new imaging technology is to bring the currently expensive and inaccessible technology into practical, standard care. Unlike existing photoacoustic tests, the device can be used in any clinical setting. Unlike MRIs, the tests will not be a financial burden to patients or their families. The study’s author writes that “this is the first clinical study with a compact and fully integrated PA/US imaging probe. It means an important step from existing PAI systems, where sizable and costly external lasers are used, towards practical use in clinical settings.”

Improvements to the device are already underway, with the end goal of a device that can determine the exact degree of inflammation in the hands before symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis begin to drastically affect a patient’s quality of life. Researchers will also be testing the next prototypes for their ability to predict the progression of rheumatoid arthritis, which would give physicians an advantage in proactively treating the symptoms of the disease.