Summer 2024 (Volume 34, Number 2)

Arthritis Society Canada Invests to Stop Osteoarthritis in Its Infancy

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Arthritis Society Canada is partnering with the University of Alberta to scale a revolutionary project to quickly and affordably diagnose and treat developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) in infancy.

The Newborn Arthritis Prevention Screening (NAPS) project is led by Dr. Jacob Jaremko, a pediatric musculoskeletal radiologist at the University of Alberta. This digital health innovation uses artificial intelligence (AI) and 3D imaging to capture images of babies' hips, comparing them to thousands of previously-recorded scans to determine — within seconds — if an abnormality exists. These portable devices, currently piloted in places like rural Alberta, can be operated by trained professionals already in communities.

Up to 40 percent of hip osteoarthritis is associated with DDH. Yet DDH that is diagnosed early in infancy can be successfully treated by wearing a soft brace — sparing newborns a lifetime of pain and discomfort.

Arthritis Society Canada is supporting the project’s expansion, fundraising with an organizational goal of $5 million and seeking an additional $5 million in funding opportunities from government. This collaborative approach has the potential to save the healthcare system millions of dollars while reducing future cases of osteoarthritis due to undiagnosed and untreated DDH.