Crystallographic Identification of Calcium Deposits as Regards their Pathological Nature, with Special Reference to Chondrocalcinosis

Abstract

In a paper published in 1962, Kohn et al. showed that the “Pseudogout Syndrome” of chondrocalcinosis articularis was accompanied by the presence in synovial fluid of a form of calcium pyrophosphate crystals. By their size, these crystals are comparable with those of sodium urate and therefore are presumably able to induce articular attacks. Moreover, they can produce two types of joint disturbances: a synovial inflammatory reaction that may present a picture similar to that of rheumatoid arthritis; a cartilage deterioration creating the morphological condition of osteoarthrosis, which is found occasionally in several joints. However, these deposits may be observed without clinical signs and found in routine radiographical or post-mortem examination. It is also interesting to note that the histological pictures are in several ways similar to those of gout, in cartilage as well as in reacting synovial membrane, where microtophi can sometimes be observed (Lagier, to be published).