A new perspective on crystallopathies in rheumatology and orthopaedics with Raman Spectroscopy
Tom Niessink is a PhD student in the Department Medical Cell Biophysics. (Co)Promotors are prof.dr. C. Otto and prof.dr. L.W.M.M. Terstappen from the Faculty of Science & Technology and dr. T.J. Jansen from Viecuri Medical Center.
Crystal associated arthritides are very common and highly painful rheumatic disorders. When left untreated, patients suffer from frequent inflammatory episodes, accumulate joint damage, and have an increased risk of serious comorbidities. To diagnose these ‘crystallopathies’, rheumatologists draw joint fluid from the patient, which is analyzed with a polarized light microscope. This is difficult to do, however, and mistakes are therefore common.
In this thesis, we explore the integration of Raman spectroscopy with the already common polarized light microscope to increase the specificity of synovial fluid analysis. Doing so allowed us not only to better diagnose known pathologies such as gout and calcium pyrophosphate associated arthritis, but also unlocked a potential to identify new or uncommon crystals and microparticles which have a potential to be a biomarker for joint disease. Potential application areas include osteoarthritis and periprosthetic inflammation.
Overall, our technology has proven itself to be of value to any rheumatologist or orthopaedic surgeon treating crystal associated joint disease. Our new perspective offers improved insights in synovial crystals which, hopefully, can lead to new methods for treatment.
