Developer site: The content shown here is test data.

MyEClinic
MyEClinic
Health Dictionary AI Health Chat Find an Online Doctor
A serene Zen garden with raked sand and smooth stones, symbolising clarity and calm

Health Dictionary

Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.

Back to skin conditions

Crystal arthritis

Introduction

Overview

Overview

Crystal induced arthritis is a relatively common condition that involves deposition of crystals in joints and soft tissues. A variety of crystals can deposit in and around joints and soft tissues, resulting in articular and periarticular inflammation. Monosodium urate (MSU) and calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate (CPPD) are the most commonly involved crystals in the pathogenesis of crystal induced arthropathies. Other rare types of crystal arthropathy include hydroxyapatite crystal deposition arthropathy. Gout and pseudo-gout manifest with similar symptoms, and cannot be distinguished clinically. Synovial fluid analysis the involved joint is essential to diagnose and differentiation of crystal induced arthropathies.

Causes

Causes

Common causes of crystal arthritis include:

Classification

Classification

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Arthritis
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Inflammatory
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Non-Inflammatory
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Osteoarthritis
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Rheumatoid factor
 
 
 
Infectious
 
 
 
Crystalloid
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Rheumatoid positive
 
 
 
 
 
Rheumatoid negative
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
RA
Lupus
Scleroderma
 
 
 
 
 
AKS
Psoriatic arthritis
Reactive arthritis
 
Gout
 
Pseudogout
 
Calcium hydroxapatite crystals
 
 
Differentiating Gout from Pseudogout

Differentiating Gout from Pseudogout

Gout can be differentiated from pseudogout based on the following characteristics:

Gout Pseudogout
Definition
Pathogenesis
  • Increased production or decreased excretion of uric acid leads to hyperuricemia.
Clinical Features
  • Acute CPPD arthritis:
  • Chronic arthropathy:
    • Progressive degeneration in multiple joints
  • Symmetric proliferative synovitis
Diagnosis
  • Joint aspiration
    • Synovial fluid analysis shows both intracellular and extracellular needle-shaped negatively birefringent MSU crystals by polarizing microscopy
  • Synovial fluid analysis:
    • Demonstration of CPPD crystals appearing as rhomboids with weak positive birefringece by polarizing microscopy
Treatment

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] ; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Aditya Ganti M.B.B.S. [2] Sudarshana Datta, MD [3]