Development of a patient-friendly optical imaging system for simultaneous monitoring arthritis in multiple finger joints of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

We have developed an optical imaging system that allows monitoring arthritis in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients in multiple finger joints simultaneously. This system addresses the need for a low-cost accurate way to quickly assess SLE in a patient friendly manner. system comprises multiple flexible optical bands for each finger. Each band includes eight sets of three light-emitting-diodes (LEDs) (wavelength λ = 880 nm, 660 nm, and 530 nm) and a photodiode and can be wrapped around a proximal inter-phalangeal (PIP) joint allowing for the measurement of reflected and transmitted light from the LEDs by the photodetector. 24 LEDs and 8 detectors combine for a total of 192 measurements per finger per frame, which is acquired at a frame rate of 1 frame per second. We tested the performance of the system in a clinical pilot study comparing the results to an existing single-band system that makes measurements on one PIP joint at a time. During data acquisition, a partial venous inclusion is induced using a blood pressure cuff inflated to the subject's diastolic blood pressure. Initial results show statistically significant differences between SLE patient and healthy volunteers, agreeing with our previous findings single-band technology.