Prototype Detects Rheumatoid Arthritis

Ultrasound technology provides the foundation for the device’s ability to map structures in the body. In an ultrasound, sound waves are sent through the body, where they bounce of structures and return to the device, providing an image of the interior of the area the sounds are being delivered into. Unlike x-rays, ultrasounds emit no dangerous radiation, and are considered among the safest test that can be performed in helping diagnose and treat medical conditions.

Photoacoustic imaging allows doctors to see more detailed and functional information about a region of the body, including where blood is located and how saturated the blood is with oxygen. In tests, short laser pulses are sent into a patient’s body, similar to the process by which sound waves are sent through a patient’s body in an ultrasound. The laser pulses strike blood vessels and other structures in the body, and cause a small increase in heat and pressure, which can be detected and used to map a patient’s internal situation.