False-Negative Dual-Energy Computed Tomography in a Patient With Acute Gout

In Brief Gout is a painful inflammatory arthropathy caused by crystallization of monosodium urate within the joints. We present the case of a patient with primary gout who had positive results of joint aspiration and synovial biopsy for monosodium urate crystals in the third metacarpophalangeal joint but false-negative results of dual-energy computed tomography. Although DECT is very promising and likely to be specific for MSU deposition this case with microscopic crystal proof may have had too few crystals for detection.