New York (PTI): Here's some hope over early arthritis test -- thanks to US scientists who claim to have developed a new way of scanning joints which could reveal the warning signs of the painful condition.

According to them, the MRI scan actually looks for low levels of the chemical glycosaminogycan, which helps cartilage in joints hold the water that makes it tough and elastic.

In fact, the weakening and breakdown of the cartilage, which cushions the moving parts of joints, is a key factor in the development of osteoarthritis, common in the over-40s age group across the world.

"Our methods have the potential for providing early warning signs for cartilage disorders like osteoarthritis, thus potentially avoiding surgery and physical therapy later on," lead researcher Dr Alexej Jerschow of New York University was quoted by the 'BBC News' portal as saying.

The team is trying to spot the disease even earlier by looking for a substance called glycosaminogycan (GAG), which helps the cartilage hold plenty of water. They have found a way to make the hydrogen atoms attached to GAG emit a signal which can be picked up by the scanner.

According to them, a patient given early notice of impending arthritis could take steps to protect their joints, perhaps using dietary supplements such as glucosamine and chondroitin, which may slow or halt joint degeneration. The next stage now is to test the technique in trials.

However, experts have claimed that the practical implications of the research are "currently very limited". "Unfortunately at the moment there's no treatment that could be offered that would change the situation. What it may prove to be is a sensitive test of drug treatment response as new agents are developed," Prof Alan Silman of the Arthritis Research Campaign said.