Rapid and reliable detection of high uric acid concentrations (Gout disease) using piezoelectric signals

Gout occurs when high uric acid (UA) levels accumulate in certain joints, primarily in the big toe. When this accumulation surpasses the saturation concentration, reaching a supersaturated state, a UA-based sodium salt precipitates, forming structures of one or more sharp crystals that damage the soft collagen tissue surrounding them, producing intense pain that incapacitates the patient from moving the affected zone. When large amounts of UA salt accumulate in a localized region of the body, they precipitate, forming crystalline structures that cause gout; this process is called crystallization. The opposite process, dissolution, dissolves UA crystals when the local UA concentration decreases below the saturation concentration, reducing the gout’s effects. These processes can be characterized using several techniques, including dynamic light scattering (DLS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and piezoelectric analysis (PEA). The PEA is sensitive to the molecular structure of piezoelectric materials; then, it can be used to determine the status of gout disease. Then, this technique can provide an early, painless, local, and noninvasive way to detect gout. The diagnosis can be obtained by measuring the intensity of piezoelectric signals in the affected region