This session will review the sonographic features of gout, calcific arthropathy, and other inflammatory arthropathies in the ankle and foot. Learn how to distinguish between the inflammatory and structural components in the evaluation of the enthesis.
Learning Objectives:
Review practical scanning technique of the normal ankle and foot
Identify sonographic features of acute and chronic gout
(comprehensive gout evaluation at the 1st MTP: 4 quadrants, identifying elementary
lesions, distinguish double contour from interface sign)
Acknowledge ultrasound findings of calcific arthropathy that can be seen in the ankle and foot
(pseudopodagra, calcific tendonitis, tenosynovitis, inflammatory osteoarthritis)
Describe sonographic inflammatory features of the ankle and foot structures seen in crystalline
and other inflammatory arthropathies
Recognize inflammatory vs structural components in the evaluation of enthesis (inflammatory:
synovitis, tenosynovitis, enthesitis. Structural: calcification, erosions)
Integrate multi-joint scanning protocols that increase the diagnostic capability of
ultrasonography in the diagnosis of crystalline arthropathy vs. spondyloarthropathy