Skip Navigation

This Article
Right arrow Full Text Freely available
Right arrow FREE Full Text (PDF) Freely available
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in ISI Web of Science
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Search for citing articles in:
ISI Web of Science (11)
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Right arrow Disclaimer
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Canvin, J. M. G.
Right arrow Articles by El-Gabalawy, H. S.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Canvin, J. M. G.
Right arrow Articles by El-Gabalawy, H. S.
Related Collections
Right arrow Diagnostics and Imaging Procedures
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

Rheumatology 2003; 42: 76-82
© 2003 British Society for Rheumatology

Infrared spectroscopy: shedding light on synovitis in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

J. M. G. Canvin, S. Bernatsky, C. A. Hitchon, M. Jackson1, M. G. Sowa1, J. R. Mansfield1, H. H. Eysel1, H. H. Mantsch1 and H. S. El-Gabalawy

Arthritis Centre, University of Manitoba and
1 Institute of Biodiagnostics, National Research Council Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

Objectives. It is difficult to determine the extent of synovial involvement early in the course of rheumatoid arthritis. A spectroscopic technique was used to characterize the synovium of the small finger joints in both early and late rheumatoid arthritis. This synovium was also compared against normal joints.

Methods. Near-infrared spectroscopy assesses the absorption of near-infrared light by specific joints, giving a characteristic ‘fingerprint’ of the properties of the underlying tissues. Triple measurements by infrared spectroscopy were taken at the bilateral second and third metacarpophalangeal joints. Multivariate analysis was applied.

Results. Analysis was able to demonstrate relationships between the specific sources of spectral variation and joint tenderness or swelling as well as radiographic damage. Further use of multivariate analysis allowed recognition of the spectral patterns seen in early disease vs late rheumatoid arthritis and correct classification of over 74% of the joints.

Conclusions. The spectral regions where differences occurred were in the absorption bands related to tissue oxygenation status, allowing the provocative implication that this technique could be detecting ischaemic changes within the joint. Near-infrared spectroscopy may thus be able to provide us with some information about the biochemical changes associated with synovitis.

KEY WORDS: Rheumatoid arthritis, Early synovitis, Near infrared spectroscopy, Multivariate pattern recognition.

Correspondence to: J. M. G. Canvin, University of Manitoba, Arthritis Centre, RR-149, 800 Sherbrook Street, Winnipeg, MB R3A 1M4, Canada. E-mail: janice.m.canvin{at}gsk.com


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?




Disclaimer: Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.