Table 1 Differential diagnosis of calcifications and ossifications according to their location
From: Radiological identification and analysis of soft tissue musculoskeletal calcifications
Location | Calcification | Ossification |
|---|---|---|
Tendon | HADD calcific tendinitis CPPD deposition disease | Enthesophyte Bone avulsion fracture Accessory bone/Sesamoid Tendon rupture sequela Seronegative arthropathy (proliferative enthesitis) |
Articular | CPPD deposition disease Debris from destructive arthropathy (Charcot joint, RDO) HADD (ex: facet joint, crowned dens syndrome) Synovial chondromatosis Corticoid injection Gout with tophus mineralisation | Ankylosis Syndesmophytes Heterotopic ossification (underlying DISH? Surgery? Neuropathy?) |
Other soft tissues | Idiopathic tumoural calcinosis Secondary calcinosis (CRF, SSc) Soft tissue tumours (lipoma, chondroma, nerve sheath tumours, synovial sarcoma, other extraosseous sarcomas) Vascular calcifications: atherosclerosis, phlebolith Infections, lymph nodes | MOC Heterotopic ossification (burns?) |