Nanoparticle-enabled molecular imaging diagnosis of osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common type of arthritis and affects patients with chronic pain, while imposing a heavy burden on public health systems worldwide. Current imaging technologies such as X-ray, MRI, and CT assist the diagnosis and monitoring of OA by providing anatomical pathological information. However, given the complex nature and progression of OA, conventional imaging technologies are limited in the molecular pathological information they are able to present and identify from the various health conditions of OA patients. Thus, nanoparticle-assisted imaging is promising to revolutionize the diagnosis and monitoring of OA, improving the sensitivity and specificity of imaging by enhancing the detection of key biomarkers such as proteoglycans, glycosaminoglycans, type II and X collagen, and inflammatory factors. In this review, the anatomical and pathological characteristics of OA, existing imaging modalities for OA diagnosis, and recent advances in the development of functionalized nanoparticles for molecular imaging of OA are summarized, highlighting the specific roles of nanoparticles in targeting biomarker molecules in different stages of OA progression. Additionally, the combined fields of artificial intelligence (AI) and imaging technology are discussed, followed by an overview of current challenges and future development of nanoparticles for molecular imaging of OA.