title: Optical imaging of rheumatoid arthritis.
abstract: Optical Imaging (OI) for rheumatoid arthritis is a novel imaging modality. With the high number of people affected by this disease, especially in western countries, the availability of OI as an early diagnostic imaging method is clinically highly relevant. In this article we describe the current techniques of OI and discuss potential future applications of this promising technology. Overall, we demonstrate that OI is a fast, inexpensive, noninvasive, nonionizing and accurate imaging modality. Furthermore, OI is a clinically applicable tool allowing for the early detection of inflammation and potentially facilitating the monitoring of therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University Munich, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Golovko
authors.forename: Reinhard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Meier
authors.forename: Ernst
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rummeny
authors.forename: Heike
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Daldrup-Link