Pseudogout Diagnosed By Point-of-care Ultrasound

A 71-year-old male presented to the emergency department (ED) for worsening right knee pain for the prior 3–4 weeks. Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) of the right knee showed a pseudo-double contour sign. Subsequent ultrasound-guided arthrocentesis of the knee joint was performed, and fluid studies...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Anthony J. Halupa, Robert J. Strony, David H. Bulbin, Chadd K. Kraus
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: eScholarship Publishing, University of California 2019-11-01
Series:Clinical Practice and Cases in Emergency Medicine
Online Access:https://escholarship.org/uc/item/5zv6503p
Description
Summary:A 71-year-old male presented to the emergency department (ED) for worsening right knee pain for the prior 3–4 weeks. Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) of the right knee showed a pseudo-double contour sign. Subsequent ultrasound-guided arthrocentesis of the knee joint was performed, and fluid studies showed the presence of calcium pyrophosphate crystals, which was consistent with pseudogout. Ultrasound for detection of calcium pyrophosphate crystals in pseudogout and chondrocalcinosis has sensitivity of 86.7% and specificity of 96.4% making POCUS a valuable tool for diagnosing crystalline-induced arthropathy in the ED.
ISSN:2474-252X