FT-IR for research into musculoskeletal diseases

University of Kuopio in Finland uses PerkinElmer Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) imaging technology as a new way to study cartilage degeneration

PerkinElmer says that its Spectrum Spotlight FT-IR imaging system is being used in research into musculoskeletal diseases at the Biophysics of Bone and Cartilage (BBC) group at the University of Kuopio in Finland.

The group announced details of new research at the Orthopaedic Research Society meetings in New Orleans and San Francisco, showing that FT-IR imaging is an important new tool for discerning different grades of cartilage degeneration.

Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) imaging is an analytical technique for determining the microscale molecular composition of a wide range of materials.

The technique is currently being used in many industrial application areas including manufacturing and new product development, where it provides vital information about defects, impurities and composition, reducing costs and decreasing time-to-market.

Recently, researchers have begun to test how this imaging technology can be applied in medicine and in the study of disease.

The University of Kuopio has determined that PerkinElmer's Spectrum Spotlight system can accurately and quickly detect different grades of cartilage degeneration in human, bovine and porcine samples.

Musculoskeletal diseases include osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, carpal tunnel syndrome and other diseases involving the degeneration of bone, cartilage and muscle tissue.

Until now, it was not possible to rapidly measure infrared images over wide areas at high sensitivity, but initial studies show that the Spectrum Spotlight can accurately provide images of degeneration within minutes.

"The Spotlight imaging system now allows us to rapidly measure minute changes in chemical composition, such as collagen content, which was impossible with traditional FT-IR approaches", explained Jarno Rieppo of the Department of Anatomy at the University of Kuopio.

"This advancement in FT-IR imaging means we have a new technique in the study of cartilage degeneration that allows us to design experiment protocols that were not possible before".

"The BBC group's use of our Spectrum Spotlight is showing promising results as they look for better ways to more easily and quickly diagnose Musculoskeletal disease", said Peter Coggins, president of PerkinElmer Life and Analytical Sciences.

"The group has demonstrated how FT-IR can be used to benefit biomedical research and to help development of new diagnostic techniques, and PerkinElmer has demonstrated how its analytical tools can be applied across new functions and disciplines".

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