Intelligent Bi-Dimensional Skin Biopsies of Rheumatoid Arthritis Based on Raman Spectral Imaging and Machine Learning.

Journal: Analytical chemistry
PMID:

Abstract

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is one of the most common autoimmune diseases worldwide, characterized by its progressive and irreversible nature. Early diagnosis is crucial for delaying disease progression and optimizing treatment strategies. Existing diagnostic methods face limitations in asymptomatic screening and often rely on subjective judgment by experienced rheumatologists, restricting their application in early screening and clinical diagnosis. To address these challenges, we developed an innovative approach for intelligent bidimensional skin biopsies, employing Raman spectroscopy for direct spectral scanning and imaging of affected joint skin. This method enables preliminary RA diagnosis after a brief skin surface scan. It generates high-resolution three-dimensional Raman images of the affected skin within 13 min, providing rapid and reliable diagnostic support. Furthermore, Raman data are analyzed and classified using multiple artificial intelligence algorithms, such as naive Bayes, linear discriminant analysis, decision trees, k-nearest neighbors, random forests, and support vector machines, achieving high-accuracy RA differentiation. The design significantly enhances diagnostic precision and speed, enabling nonspecialists to accurately diagnose RA. Extensive experimental data validated the method's 100% diagnostic accuracy. This approach provides a novel and effective tool for early RA screening and demonstrates potential applications in other autoimmune and dermatological diseases.

Authors

  • Rongheng Ma
    The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin Medical University, Heilongjiang 150081, PR China.
  • Liping Zhou
    DigiM Solution LLC, Burlington, MA 01803, USA.
  • Shuang Jiang
    Research Center for Innovative Technology of Pharmaceutical Analysis, College of Pharmacy, Harbin Medical University, Harbin 150081 Heilongjiang, China.
  • Xiaojiao Zhao
    State Key Laboratory of Frigid Zone Cardiovascular Diseases (SKLFZCD), College of Pharmacy, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150081, China.
  • Ruiyao Ma
    State Key Laboratory of Frigid Zone Cardiovascular Diseases (SKLFZCD), College of Pharmacy, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150081, China.
  • Jin Sun
    Department of Biopharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Wenhua Road, Shenyang 110016, China.
  • Ling Xia
  • Xu Liu
    School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798, Singapore. liuxu16@bjut.edu.cn.
  • Xiaoting Wang
    He University, Shenyang, 110000, China.
  • Qingyu Meng
    Department of Health Statistics, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi, China.
  • Huimin Yu
    Chinese Medicine Department, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin 150086, China.
  • Yang Li
    Occupation of Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China.