A research team from the Advanced Bio and Healthcare Materials Research Division at the Korea Institute of Materials Science (KIMS), in collaboration with Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital, Korea, have developed a technology that enables the diagnosis of osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) within 10 minutes using synovial fluid.

Although OA and RA may appear similar, they differ in both their causes and treatments, making accurate differentiation at the early diagnosis stage critically important. Until now, diagnosis has relied on X-rays, MRI scans, and blood tests, which are time-consuming, costly, and limited in accuracy.

The research team focused on the differences in the composition of metabolites–byproducts of chemical processes occurring within the body–present in synovial fluid. By analyzing these metabolic differences, they developed a technology capable of distinguishing between OA and RA within 10 minutes, as well as assessing the severity of rheumatoid arthritis.

The research team utilized Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) technology, a phenomenon in which the optical signals of molecules are amplified by several million times. This technology amplifies signals from trace molecules present in synovial fluid and, through a combination of artificial intelligence-based analysis and mathematical algorithms, detects minute substances responsible for arthritis. In addition, the team developed a simple and rapid diagnostic method using a sensor composed of a sea urchin-shaped gold nanostructure formed on a paper surface with high moisture absorption, enabling efficient detection via body fluids.

Tests using this technology were conducted on 120 patients. The results showed that OA and RA could be diagnosed and distinguished with an accuracy of over 94%. Furthermore, the technology achieved over 95% accuracy in determining the severity of RA. These findings demonstrate that the technology not only significantly reduces the time and cost of arthritis diagnosis but also ensures a high level of diagnostic accuracy.