Enthesopathy and tendinopathy in gout: computed tomographic assessment.

OBJECTIVE

To establish if computed tomography (CT) imaging, which has proved helpful in detecting intra-articular tophi in gout, can also be used to document gouty enthesopathy and tendinopathy.

METHODS

Three patients with tophaceous gout and clinical involvement of the Achilles tendon (two cases) or patellar tendon (one case) were assessed with CT examination and plain radiographs.

RESULTS

In the first two cases, CT images revealed linear or nodular high attenuation opacities within the substance of the Achilles tendons and their calcaneal insertion. In case 3, dense linear opacities were seen within the patellar tendon and within its tibial insertion. No such opacities of the tendons and entheses were seen on standard radiographs of these patients.

CONCLUSIONS

CT appears to be the imaging method of choice for demonstrating monosodium urate deposits in entheses and tendons in tophaceous gout.