Acute apatite podagra with negative birefringent spherulites in the synovial fluid.

Beaudet, F; de Médicis, R; Magny, P; Lussier, A · J Rheumatol · 1993

case_report · Level V

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Abstract

We describe a young male patient who presented with acute podagra after jogging activity. He had no underlying pathology. Polarized light microscopy of the synovial fluid from his first metatarsophalangeal joint revealed numerous negative birefringent spherulites about 6 microns in diameter, presenting the typical appearance of Maltese crosses. The molar calcium/phosphorus ratio of these spherulites as determined by X-ray energy dispersive analysis was virtually identical to that of synthetic or pathologic apatite.

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