Monoarticular Crystal Arthropathy of the Knee: Tophaceous Gout

Abstract

Tophaceous gout is a crystal arthropathy and a disorder of purine metabolism characterized by monosodium urate crystal deposition. A case of tophaceous gout of the knee joint in a 30-year-old female is reported, and the imaging appearances on high-resolution ultrasonography are described. The patient presented with complaints of insidious onset painless swelling of the left knee joint with limitation of range of movement for 1 week. The aspirated joint fluid demonstrated needle-like monosodium urate crystals showing strong negative birefringence consistent with a diagnosis of tophaceous gout. Targeted urate-lowering treatment included oral nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and oral colchicine. Prophylactic treatment for gout flare-ups included initiation of allopurinol at 300 mg/day along with modification of the dietary regimen including limited consumption of red meat and increased consumption of low-fat dairy products. Symptomatic improvement with reduced pain and swelling of the knee joint was noted at 10 days after treatment. Subsequently, at 3-month follow-up, the patient was disease free with no signs of recurrence and serum uric acid levels at 3.7 mg/dL. In spite of a wide range of therapeutic options available for the management of tophaceous gout, suboptimal management of gout is prevalent till date in both developing and developed nations across the world.

Keywords

• tophaceous gout
• female patient
• high-resolution ultrasonography
• knee joint
• monosodium urate crystals