The paper describes spinal involvement in gout. Historical aspects of the clinical course, diagnosis, and treatment of spinal gout are summarized. A number of studies demonstrate that this condition is difficult to diagnose. Gout usually affects limb joints (typically, joints of the lower limb) while joints which are localized near to the trunk are affected rarely. Until recently, spinal gout was considered as atypical, almost casuistic, lesion. The data on potential causes of gouty tophi formation in the spine, their identification rate, specificity of diagnostics, and clinical manifestations which are typical of spinal tophi are reviewed. The advantages of certain imaging techniques, i.e., computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) used to visualize axial tophi as well as some aspects of drug therapy are discussed.

Keywords: gout, spinal gout, tophi.

For citation: Eliseev M.S. Gouty lesions in the spine // RMJ. Rheumatology. 2016. № 2. P. –89.