Assessing Arthritis

A faster, more precise way to measure joint problems may lead to improvements in arthritis treatment. Right now, most doctors rely on the way arthritis patients' joints look and feel during an exam to assess how effective their treatment is. But a new high-tech device gives them a better idea of what's going on under the surface.

Rheumatoid arthritis patients can have swollen, warm, or red joints and a very limited range of motion. Doctors say there aren't many ways to measure the inflammation.

But now researchers are testing a high-tech way to assess patients. A thermal camera measures the pattern of the skin's temperature. Patients with arthritis have higher temperatures or "more red" around the joints. A second camera takes a 3d snapshot of to get a better look at the joint. Even the smallest changes are easily noted.

Thanks to physical therapy and medication, doctors can offer a more precise way to measure joint problems that may lead to improvements in arthritis treatment.

Doctors say the cameras are also effective for assessing adult rheumatoid arthritis patients and may be useful for tracking other diseases like skin cancer and diabetes. Researchers say eventually, both cameras will be combined within one device, making it more convenient for regular use in a doctor's office.