Measurement of abnormal bone composition in vivo using noninvasive Raman spectroscopy

Kevin Buckley,Richard Keen,Jacqueline Vinton,Helen L Birch,Panagiotis D Gikas,Anthony W Parker,Pavel Matousek,Allen E Goodship,Jemma G Kerns

doi:10.1038/bonekey.2014.97

Kevin Buckley, Richard Keen + Show 7 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1038/bonekey.2014.97

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Abstract

X-ray-based diagnostic techniques, which are by far the most widely used for diagnosing bone disorders and diseases, are largely blind to the protein component of bone. Bone proteins are important because they determine certain mechanical properties of bone and changes in the proteins have been associated with a number of bone diseases. Spatially Offset Raman Spectroscopy (SORS) is a chemically specific analytical technique that can be used to retrieve information noninvasively from both the mineral and protein phases of the bone material in vivo. Here we demonstrate that SORS can be used to detect a known compositional abnormality in the bones of a patient suffering from the genetic bone disorder, osteogenesis imperfecta, a condition which affects collagen. The confirmation of the principle that bone diseases in living patients can be detected noninvasively using SORS points the way to larger studies that focus on osteoporosis and other chronic debilitating bone diseases with large socioeconomic burdens.

Highlights

Musculoskeletal diseases have a large and growing socioeconomic cost in countries with ageing populations; for example, in the UK there are over 70 000 hip fractures associated with osteoporosis and over 70 000 primary hip replacements associated with osteoarthritis annually.[1,2] Presently, the range of clinical tools for early detection of these diseases is limited
Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is relatively rare, the demonstration that it can be detected with Spatially Offset Raman Spectroscopy (SORS) in a clinical setting is significant
There have been cases where the authorities have mistakenly ascribed repeated bone fractures to child abuse, when the child in question was an undiagnosed sufferer of mild OI

Summary

Introduction

Musculoskeletal diseases have a large and growing socioeconomic cost in countries with ageing populations; for example, in the UK there are over 70 000 hip fractures associated with osteoporosis and over 70 000 primary hip replacements associated with osteoarthritis annually.[1,2] Presently, the range of clinical tools for early detection of these diseases is limited. Determining the compositional abnormality of the patient’s bone The section of excised OI bone was probed with Raman spectroscopy and compared with non-OI bone that was excised (with appropriate ethical approvals) from the cadaveric tibiae of another female (aged 72 years).

Results

Conclusion