title: First experience with single-source dual-energy computed tomography in six patients with acute arthralgia: a feasibility experiment using joint aspiration as a reference.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) is an emerging imaging technique for examining patients with suspected gout. Single-source dual-energy CT (S-DECT) is a new way of obtaining DECT information on conventional CT scanners rather than using special dual-source CT systems.
  
  
  METHODS
  We tested the feasibility of S-DECT (320-row CT; Aquilion ONE, Toshiba Medical Systems, Otawara, Japan) in 6 patients (5 men, 1 woman; mean age 61.3, range 48 to 69 years) with acute arthralgia and suspected gout, and compared the S-DECT findings with the results of joint aspiration.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three patients had a diagnosis of gouty arthritis with negatively birefringent crystals in synovial fluid, in addition to gouty tophi in S-DECT. Three patients had no detectable crystals by polarization microscopy and no tophi on DECT. Their final diagnoses were rheumatoid arthritis, activated osteoarthritis, and septic arthritis in one case each.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This initial experience suggests that S-DECT might be a valuable alternative to dual-source CT. Hence, more patients may benefit from its additional diagnostic abilities in the future.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin Campus Mitte, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Freie Universität Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany. torsten.diekhoff@charite.de.
authors.forename: Torsten
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3593-1449
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Diekhoff
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin Campus Mitte, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Freie Universität Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Katharina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ziegeler
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin Campus Mitte, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Freie Universität Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Eugen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Feist
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin Campus Mitte, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Freie Universität Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Tobias
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kiefer
authors.affiliation: Toshiba Medical Systems Europe, BV, Zilverstraat 1, 2701 RP, Zoetermeer, Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jürgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mews
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin Campus Mitte, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Freie Universität Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Bernd
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hamm
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin Campus Mitte, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Freie Universität Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Kay-Geert A
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Hermann
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000368:Aged; D018771:Arthralgia / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006073:Gout / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015900:Radiography, Dual-Energy Scanned Projection; D012016:Reference Values; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*
keywords: Dual energy; Gout; Single source