title: Dual-Energy CT of Urate Deposits in Costal Cartilage and Intervertebral Disks of Patients With Tophaceous Gout and Age-Matched Controls.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to investigate whether monosodium urate (MSU) deposits could be identified within the abdomen and axial skeleton of patients with tophaceous gout using dual-energy CT (DECT).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  DECT of the abdomen, chest wall, and spine revealed extensive MSU deposits in costal cartilages and, to a lesser extent, intervertebral disks in the male patients with gout in our study. These were quantified volumetrically. However, age-matched control subjects showed similar deposits, indicating this was not a disease-specific finding. Thus, MSU deposition in the axial skeleton may be physiologic in middle-aged men.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Molecular Medicine and Pathology, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, 85 Park Rd, Grafton, Auckland, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Carr
authors.affiliation: 2 Department of Radiology, Auckland City Hospital, Auckland District Health Board, Auckland, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Anthony J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Doyle
authors.affiliation: 3 Department of Medicine, Bone and Joint Research Group, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Dalbeth
authors.affiliation: 3 Department of Medicine, Bone and Joint Research Group, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Opetaia
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Aati
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Molecular Medicine and Pathology, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, 85 Park Rd, Grafton, Auckland, New Zealand.|4 Department of Rheumatology, Greenlane Clinical Centre, Auckland District Health Board, Auckland, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Fiona M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: McQueen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D066186:Costal Cartilage / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006073:Gout / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007403:Intervertebral Disc / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014527:Uric Acid
chemical_list: D014527:Uric Acid
keywords: cartilage; chest wall; dual-energy CT; gout; monosodium urate