Ultrasound-detected musculoskeletal urate crystal deposition: which joints and what findings should be assessed for diagnosing gout?

Objective: The primary objective of this prospective case-control study was to assess the diagnostic value of several intra-articular and periarticular ultrasound (US)-detected abnormalities in the upper and lower limbs in gout. The secondary objective was to test the concurrent validity of US abnormalities using as gold standard the microscopic demonstration of monosodium urate (MSU) crystals.

Methods: Ninety-one men with gout and 42 age-matched controls were prospectively recruited.