CT scans 'help confirm gout'
Monday 7th November 2011
Researchers have found that CT scans can help to confirm gout in patients suspected of having the condition after receiving negative results from traditional tests.
The type of CT scan analysed could also really help patients who cannot be tested with the typical method of taking fluid from joints, according to the study which was presented at the American College of Rheumatology annual scientific meeting in Chicago.
Physicians usually check for gout by using a needle to draw fluid from affected joints, and examining the fluid for uric acid crystals.
Dual-energy CT scans have recently been modified to detect the crystals, and the study found they were "very accurate" in identifying patients with gout.
Lead researcher Tim Bongartz said that while highly accurate overall, in a subgroup of patients with very acute gout, the CT scan failed to identify 30 per cent of cases.
He noted that the technology would be most useful when joint fluid cannot be obtained or the fluid analysis comes back negative despite gout being strongly suspected.
Written by Megan Smith
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