Speakers - 2026

Title: Effectiveness of FTIR and Raman spectroscopy in detecting biochemical markers of osteoarthritis: A comparison with histological methods

Abstract

Statement of the Problem: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic, degenerative joint disease characterised by degradation of the joint cartilage and underlying bone. Detection of osteoarthritis largely relies on histological and radiographic methods; however, these measures are destructive and limited in their ability to detect the subtle molecular alterations that precede structural damage.

Vibrational spectroscopic techniques, such as FTIR and Raman spectroscopy show promise as early diagnostic tools capable of identifying biochemical differences before they become visible histologically. The purpose of this review is to evaluate current literature comparing these modalities with established histological methods and scoring systems.

Methodology: A literature review was conducted in the databases MEDLINE/PubMed and Web of Science using Boolean operators (AND/OR) and search terms related to osteoarthritis, FTIR or Raman spectroscopy and histological or biochemical markers. Truncation was applied to broaden results, and no date limits were applied.

Findings: All the studies reported strong correlations between FTIR / Raman spectroscopy and histological assessments of degenerated tissue. Notably, two of the five Raman studies showed that Raman spectroscopy could surpass histology in detecting biomarkers of osteoarthritis.

Conclusion & Significance: The studies support the potential of fiber optic FTIR or Raman probes as non-destructive, objective tools for evaluating osteoarthritis in clinical practice. However, it is important to recognise that the current evidence is limited by lack of in vivo investigations and absence of longitudinal prognostic studies. Future research must be aimed at addressing these gaps through larger and more robust investigations, as it could potentially transform the way osteoarthritis is diagnosed and managed.