Transcutaneous Raman Spectroscopy for Diagnosis of Diabetic Osteomyelitis Diabetic foot ulcers often lead to metatarsal or calcaneal osteomyelitis, a serious complication that can require prolonged administration of antibiotics, surgical debridement or even amputation for curative treatment. Current methods available for the diagnosis of diabetic foot osteomyelitis are inadequate and costly. The development of a non-invasive diagnostic device to define changes in metatarsal bone composition and quality that are specific for diabetic osteomyelitis would have potential as a cost-effective diagnostic adjunct to current clinical criteria. For many years we and others have been using near infrared spectroscopy as a platform technology to define bone quality in vivo. Our methods employ a specific type of near-infrared spectroscopy known as Raman spectroscopy and we have termed our approach to in vivo use as Transcutaneous Raman Spectroscopy (TRS). Our long-term translational goal is to develop a TRS device specifically for determination of metatarsal and calcaneal bone composition and quality in diabetic patients with foot ulcers for the diagnosis of osteomyelitis. In this application we have proposed three specific aims that will allow us to begin the translational development of TRS as a diagnostic device.
Specific Aim 1 : Determine the Raman spectral patterns that are characteristic for diabetic osteomyelitis using samples of bone obtained during surgical treatment or amputation.
Specific Aim 2 : Develop TRS device probe/detector prototypes optimized to determine metatarsal and calcaneal bone composition and quality when applied to the plantar surface of the human foot.
Specific Aim 3 : Perform an initial cross-sectional study of the TRS device probe/detector prototypes in normal healthy volunteers to define the Raman spectral patterns that characterize composition and quality of normal metatarsal and calcaneal bone.

Public Health Relevance

Patients with diabetes frequently get foot ulcers and these ulcers can lead to infection of foot bones. Early diagnosis of infected foot bones would improve treatment. We propose to develop a hand held device that would use laser light to identify infected bone in patients with diabetic foot ulcers.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB)
Type
Exploratory/Developmental Grants (R21)
Project #
5R21EB010126-02
Application #
8018572
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1-SBIB-J (91))
Program Officer
Conroy, Richard
Project Start
2010-02-01
Project End
2013-01-31
Budget Start
2011-02-01
Budget End
2013-01-31
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
2011
Total Cost
$185,632
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Michigan Ann Arbor
Department
Internal Medicine/Medicine
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
073133571
City
Ann Arbor
State
MI
Country
United States
Zip Code
48109
Esmonde-White, Karen A; Esmonde-White, Francis W L; Morris, Michael D et al. (2013) Effects of pathology dyes on Raman bone spectra. J Biomed Opt 18:57002
Morris, Michael D; Mandair, Gurjit S (2011) Raman assessment of bone quality. Clin Orthop Relat Res 469:2160-9