Background: Gout, caused by hyperuricemia and subsequent deposition of aggregated monosodium urate crystals (MSU) in the joints or extra-articular regions, is the most common inflammatory arthritis. There is increasing evidence that gout is an independent risk factor for hypertension, cardiovascular disease progression and mortality.
Aim: To evaluate if dual energy computed tomography (DECT) could identify MSU within vessel walls of gout patients, and if MSU deposits within the vasculature differed between patients with gout and controls.