Dual Energy CT instead of joint aspiration for gout diagnosis
Diagnosis
Diagnosis
The most reliable method of diagnosing gout is to aspirate the joint in order to obtain fluid to verify the presence of monosodiumurate crystals (uric acid). Up to now, computed tomography (CT) has played only a limited role in the evaluation of gout, since conventional CT systems cannot reliably verify deposits of uric acid. However, a current study at the Vancouver General Hospital in Canada gives rise to speculation that dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) could radically change the management of this disease. DECT enables fast, noninvasive examinations and, based on initial evaluations, has the potential to surpass the clinical examination in terms of identifying subclinical disease. Investigations have confirmed the high sensitivity of the DECT method in detecting uric acid deposits. The Canadian scientists used the SOMATOM Definition computed tomography (CT scanner) from Siemens for their investigation. This system is the only CT scanner worldwide that features two X-ray tubes capable of simultaneously producing different energies. The leading investigator, Dr S Nicolaou said “DECT is a promising new technique that can in a reliable, noninvasive fashion confirm the presence of gout tophi subclinically, provide information on the patient’s disease burden and enable differentiation from other diseases. This technique may be used for monitoring treatment success and can be used to resolve unclear cases.
Siemens AG Medical Solutions
