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Evaluation of SLE arthritis using frequency domain optical imaging
Alessandro Marone1, Wei Tang2, Youngwan Kim1
1Department of Biomedical Engineering, New York University Tandon School of Engineering, Brooklyn, New York, USA.
Lupus Science & Medicine
|August 31, 2021
Summary
Frequency domain optical imaging (FDOI) shows significant differences in proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joints between patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and healthy individuals. This optical method may offer an objective way to evaluate SLE arthritis.
Area of Science:
- Rheumatology and Biomedical Optics
Background:
- Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) frequently impacts joints, with arthritis affecting up to 95% of patients.
- Diagnosing and evaluating SLE arthritis presents ongoing challenges in clinical practice and research.
- Frequency domain optical imaging (FDOI) has demonstrated utility in assessing inflammatory arthritis in joints.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of Frequency domain optical imaging (FDOI) for assessing arthritis in patients with Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).
Main Methods:
- Ninety-six proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joints from 16 SLE patients and 60 PIP joints from 10 controls were analyzed.
- A 670 nm laser was used to scan the dorsal surface of PIP joints, measuring transmitted light intensity and phase shifts.
- Data were analyzed using Discriminant Analysis and Support Vector Machine algorithms, with Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis.
Main Results:
- Significant differences in transmitted light amplitude and phase were observed between SLE and control PIP joints (p<0.05).
- Cross-validated models achieved an Area Under the ROC Curve (AUC) of 0.89, with 95% sensitivity, 79% specificity, and 80% accuracy.
Conclusions:
- This study represents the first evaluation of optical methods for SLE arthritis assessment.
- Statistically significant differences in FDOI signals were found between SLE patients and healthy volunteers.
- FDOI shows potential for objective, user-independent evaluation of SLE PIP joint arthritis.
