<aside>

Chondrocalcinosis is the radiographic finding of calcification within articular cartilage (hyaline) and/or fibrocartilage, most often due to calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate (CPPD) crystal deposition disease, but it can also occur in other metabolic or degenerative conditions.

</aside>

It is therefore a descriptive radiological term, not a disease in itself.

Chondrocalcinosis, Tumoral Calcinosis, - Everything You Need To Know - Dr. Nabil Ebraheim

Etiopathogenesis

Primary cause:
- CPPD crystal deposition (most common).
Secondary causes / associations:
- Metabolic & endocrine disorders: Hyperparathyroidism, hemochromatosis, hypophosphatasia, hypomagnesemia, Wilson’s disease
- Degenerative changes: Osteoarthritis, especially atypical joints.
- Aging: incidence increases >60 years.
- Genetic: familial forms with early onset.

Clinical Correlation

Many patients are asymptomatic, detected incidentally on X-ray. May present as part of CPPD spectrum:

Acute pseudogout	Painful monoarthritis
Chronic CPPD arthropathy	Mimicking osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis
Isolated chondrocalcinosis	Without clinical arthritis

Radiology

XR imaging features:

Linear or punctate calcification within cartilage:

Hyaline cartilage	Thin, linear calcifications paralleling articular surfaces.
Fibrocartilage	More irregular, punctate, or stippled calcifications.

Common sites:

Knee – menisci, femoral condyles.
Wrist – triangular fibrocartilage, radiocarpal joint.
Symphysis pubis, acetabular labrum, shoulder joint.