title: Tophaceous pseudogout of the temporomandibular joint: a series of 3 cases.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We report a series of 3 cases of tophaceous pseudogout of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ).
  
  
  METHODS
  Three patients, two men and one woman, ranging in age between 60 and 75 years, presented with unilateral painful swelling of the TMJ area associated with limitation of mouth opening.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Radiographic and computed tomographic images showed opaque masses in the supracondylar region of the TMJ. The preoperative clinical impression was a "neoplastic lesion" in the 3 cases. Microscopic examination revealed numerous deeply basophilic masses of calcified deposits, exhibiting birefringence under polarized light and morphologically consistent with calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate deposition, referred to in these cases as "tophaceous pseudogout."
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Tophaceous pseudogout is a rare benign arthropathy that presents with clinical and radiographic features mimicking neoplastic conditions of the TMJ. Therefore, it is recommended that tophaceous pseudogout be considered in the differential diagnosis when a TMJ is involved with "neoplasm-like" lesions clinically and radiographically.
authors: Professor and Director of Diagnostic Laboratory Services, Section of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, Department of Oral Health and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Dental Medicine, Georgia Regents University, Augusta, GA, USA. Electronic address: rabdelsa@gru.edu.
authors: Rafik A
authors: RA
authors: Abdelsayed
authors: Professor, Oral Diagnosis, Radiology and Pathology, Loma Linda University, SOD and School of Medicine, Department of Anatomy and Pathology/Head and Neck Pathology, San Francisco, CA, USA.
authors: Nasser
authors: N
authors: Said-Al-Naief
authors: Assistant Professor, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, College of Dental Medicine, Georgia Regents University, Augusta, GA, USA.
authors: Martin
authors: M
authors: Salguerio
authors: Private Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Birmingham, AL, USA.
authors: Jon
authors: J
authors: Holmes
authors: Head, Section of Head and Neck Pathology, Professor, Division of Anatomic and Molecular Pathology, Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA.
authors: Samir K
authors: SK
authors: El-Mofty
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002130:Calcium Phosphates; D002805:Chondrocalcinosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011862:Radiography, Panoramic; D013705:Temporomandibular Joint Disorders / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D002130:Calcium Phosphates; C494369:calcium phosphate, dihydrate