Calcinosis cutis is a condition that causes calcium deposits in a person’s skin or soft tissues. These deposits can occur anywhere in the body and, depending on their location, can be disabling for patients. For example, deposits on the spine or buttocks can make sitting difficult for patients; deposits on the hands can make it painful for people to do routine activities, like eating or bathing.
Monique Hinchcliff, MD, MS, associate professor of medicine (rheumatology, allergy, & immunology) and director of the Yale Scleroderma Program, and colleagues across the Yale School of Medicine recently published an article in Rheumatology describing a proof-of-concept tool to better quantify the volume of calcinosis cutis in individual patients.
In a Q&A, Hinchcliff discusses the need for this research and how she hopes it will pave the way for better treatments for patients with this condition.
Rheumatology, Allergy & Immunology, one of 10 sections in the Yale Department of Internal Medicine, is dedicated to providing care for patients with rheumatic, allergic and immunologic disorders; educating future generations of thought leaders in the field; and researching fundamental questions of autoimmunity and immunology.