title: Misleading clinical aspects of hydroxyapatite deposits: a series of 15 cases.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the characteristics of radiographs in diagnosis of hydroxyapatite deposits in sites other than the shoulders and hips.
  
  
  METHODS
  We reviewed the records of patients hospitalized during the last 3 years whose final diagnosis was apatite deposits in sites other than the shoulders and hips.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ten women and 5 men were studied. The initial presentation mimicked septic arthritis or periarticular soft tissue abscess in 12 patients, corresponding to calcifications in the fingers (6), toes (2), wrists (2), elbow (1), and ankle (1). One patient presented with a spontaneous coccygeal pain (precoccygeal deposit), one with a pseudotumoral process of the thigh (paradiaphyseal calcification), and one with acute cervical pain and dysphagia (longus coli muscle calcification). Complete clinical healing was observed after an average of 4.9 days; 11 patients used nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAID), 2 used colchicine, one used oral steroids, and one had brief antibiotic therapy and used NSAID.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Initial clinical aspects of apatite deposits in sites other than the shoulders and hips can often be misleading, especially by mimicking an infectious process. Careful analysis of immediate radiographic films can help to rapidly ascertain the diagnosis and thus avoid useless investigations or treatment.
authors.affiliation: Service de Rhumatologie, Hopital Henri Mondor, Creteil, France.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Claudepierre
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rahmouni
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bergamasco
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Montazel
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Larget-Piet
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chevalier
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001799:Blood Sedimentation; D002805:Chondrocalcinosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000188:drug therapy; D003078:Colchicine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017886:Durapatite / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006074:Gout Suppressants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006621:Hip Joint; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011859:Radiography; D012785:Shoulder Joint
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D006074:Gout Suppressants; D017886:Durapatite; D003078:Colchicine