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General
intermediate
X-Type

Pseudogout and CPPD Disease - Calcium Pyrophosphate and Chondrocalcinosis

Crystal Arthropathies

A 72-year-old woman presents with acute knee pain and swelling developing over 24 hours. She is febrile (38.2Ā°C) with a warm, tense effusion. Radiographs show linear calcification in the menisci and articular cartilage. Synovial fluid analysis shows 35,000 WBC/mL with rhomboid-shaped crystals that demonstrate weakly positive birefringence under polarized light microscopy. Regarding calcium pyrophosphate deposition (CPPD) disease and pseudogout:

Mark each as TRUE or FALSE

A

CPPD crystals are RHOMBOID or rod-shaped with WEAKLY POSITIVE birefringence (blue when parallel to s...

B

Chondrocalcinosis (radiographic calcification of cartilage) is the hallmark finding; it classically ...

C

CPPD disease only presents as acute inflammatory arthritis (pseudogout); chronic degenerative forms ...

D

Acute CPPD arthritis (pseudogout) treatment includes joint aspiration, NSAIDs, colchicine, or cortic...

E

Secondary CPPD can be associated with metabolic conditions: hyperparathyroidism (high calcium), hemo...

Answer the questions to see explanations

Click T (True) or F (False) for each option