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Predicting wrist osteoporosis from excised human finger bones using spatially offset Raman spectroscopy - a cadaveric
Mohammad Hosseini1,2, Sadia Afrin3, Anthony Yosick3,4
1The Institute of Optics, University of Rochester, 275 Hutchison Rd, Rochester, NY 14620, USA.
Biomedical Optics Express
|February 16, 2026
Summary
Spatially offset Raman spectroscopy (SORS) can assess subsurface biochemical markers in finger bones to estimate bone mineral density (BMD) T-scores. This non-ionizing technique shows promise for improved osteoporosis and osteopenia screening.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Spectroscopy
- Orthopedics
Background:
- Osteoporosis and osteopenia are significantly underdiagnosed conditions.
- Current screening methods like dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) primarily measure bone mineral density (BMD) but miss crucial compositional changes.
- There is a need for advanced techniques to assess bone health beyond simple BMD measurements.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the utility of spatially offset Raman spectroscopy (SORS) for assessing subsurface biochemical markers in excised finger bones.
- To determine if SORS can estimate bone mineral density (BMD) T-scores derived from dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA).
- To evaluate the optimal spatial offset for SORS measurements to differentiate bone health categories.
Main Methods:
- Ex vivo Raman spectroscopy was performed on proximal phalanges from 25 female cadavers across normal, osteopenic, and osteoporotic T-score categories.
- Spectra were acquired at spatial offsets of 0, 3, and 6 mm from the laser irradiation spot.
- Partial-least-squares regression (PLSR) models were used to predict T-scores from spectral data.
Main Results:
- Spectra at a 3-mm offset showed significant differences in biochemical markers (carbonate, Amide III, CH2, Amide I bands) between bone health categories.
- Mineral-to-matrix ratios quantitatively discriminated between normal, osteopenic, and osteoporotic bone at the 3-mm offset.
- PLSR models using 0-mm and 3-mm offset spectra accurately predicted T-scores (r ≈ 0.90), with the 3-mm offset requiring fewer model components.
Conclusions:
- Spatially offset Raman spectroscopy (SORS) effectively assesses subsurface biochemical changes in finger bones related to bone health.
- The 3-mm spatial offset demonstrated superior biochemical contrast and predictive capability for estimating T-scores compared to other offsets.
- These findings support the potential for transcutaneous SORS application for non-ionizing, in vivo bone health assessment.
