Various embodiments are described herein for a method and a use of a device for detecting gout. The method can include irradiating a portion of the anatomical region through a skin surface using a light source and receiving scattered light from the portion of the anatomical region. The portion of the anatomical region may be subcutaneous. The method further includes determining Raman spectral data from the received scattered light and identifying a plurality of peaks associated with monosodium urate in the Raman spectral data. The method further comprises determining that a monosodium urate deposition is present in the anatomical region when the number of identified peaks associated with monosodium urate is greater than a detection threshold. The method may be performed using a device that includes a light source, an optical detection component and a spectral selection component.
