title: Chalky joint effusion. The result of massive synovial deposition of calcium apatite in progressive systemic sclerosis.
abstract: A patient with long-standing progressive systemic sclerosis developed calcification of the suprapatellar pouch. Chalky white synovial fluid from the knee joint contained many crystals that were characterized as apatite by X-ray diffraction. In this case massive amounts of cystals were presumably shed into the fluid from the heavily calcified synovium.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001031:Apatites / Q000032:analysis*; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D012595:Scleroderma, Systemic / Q000378:metabolism*; D013582:Synovial Fluid / Q000032:analysis; D013583:Synovial Membrane / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D001031:Apatites