Imaging in the crystal arthropathies.

Imaging in the crystal arthropathies has undergone great advances in the past decade, with newer techniques having additional benefits for assisting diagnosis, predicting prognosis, and monitoring the treatment of these conditions. Three-dimensional digitized modalities such as computed tomography, dual-energy computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) offer a multislice view of any anatomic region. Both ultrasonography and MRI reveal features of inflammation and joint damage in all crystal arthropathies, and can be used to monitor the inflammatory response to therapy. The type of imaging used needs to be adapted to the clinical question of relevance.