Chemists from Trinity College Dublin, in collaboration with the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI), have devised a scanning technique that produces high-res 3-D images of bones without exposing patients to X-ray radiation.

The chemists attached luminescent compounds to gold structures to form biologically safe "nanoagents" that are attracted to calcium-rich surfaces that appear when bones crack, even at a micro level. These nanoagents highlight the cracks formed in bones, allowing researchers to produce a complete 3D image of the damaged regions.

Researchers used non-invasive luminescence imaging to achieve a 3-D map of bone damage. Image source: Trinity College Dublin.The researchers, led by the Trinity team of Professor of Chemistry Thorri Gunnlaugsson and postdoctoral researcher Esther Surender, believe the technique could benefit the health sector, as it can be used to diagnose bone strength and provide a detailed blueprint of the extent and positioning of any weakness or injury. Additionally, this knowledge could act as an early-warning system for people at high risk of degenerative bone diseases, such as osteoporosis, and in other cases help prevent the need for bone implants.

Everyday activities put loads on human bones and can cause microcracks to develop. According to the researchers, these are normally repaired by a remodeling process. But when microcracks develop faster—in athletes, the elderly, and others—they can exceed the repair rate and so accumulate and weaken bones.

In addition to the high resolution provided by the imaging technique, another advantage lies in not exposing patients to X-rays. X-rays emit radiation and have, in some cases, been associated with an increased risk of cancer. The red-emitting, gold-based nanoagents used in this alternative technique are said to be biologically safe.