British scientists are developing a new laser scanner which could revolutionise arthritis treatment. This device can detect arthritis even before the symptoms start.

The new scanner could help start arthritis treatment by spotting signs of the crippling disease before it has done painful and irreversible damage to cartilage in the joints.

Professor Allen Goodship, of University College London said that the research is at an early stage but the results are promising and possibly in the future, the technique, called Spatially Offset Raman Spectroscopy, could be effective as a screening tool.