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Imaging aspects of the diagnosis of sarcoidosis

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Abstract

Sarcoidosis is a systemic granulomatous disorder of unknown aetiology with a wide spectrum of radiological appearances and almost invariably pulmonary involvement. Lung involvement accounts for most of the morbidity and much of the mortality associated with sarcoidosis. Imaging contributes significantly to the diagnosis and management of patients with sarcoidosis. In typical cases, chest radiography may be sufficient to establish the diagnosis with little margin of error and CT is not necessary. However, CT can play a critical role in several clinical settings: atypical clinical and/or radiographic findings; normal or near-normal chest radiograph but clinical suspicion of sarcoidosis; and detection of complications. Moreover, in many patients, CT findings are atypical and unfamiliar to most radiologists (e.g. sarcoidosis mimicking other lung diseases and vice versa), and in these cases histological confirmation of the diagnosis is recommended. CT is also useful in assessing disease extent and may help to discriminate between reversible and irreversible lung disease, thus providing critical prognostic information. This review concentrates on the more difficult imaging aspects of sarcoidosis, in particular differential diagnosis and disease complications.

Key points

•Sarcoidosis is characterized by a wide spectrum of radiological appearances.

•In typical cases, imaging substantially contributes to the diagnosis of sarcoidosis.

•CT plays a critical role in atypical and complicated cases.

•CT may discriminate between reversible and irreversible lung disease.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Rare Lung Diseases, Respiratory Disease Unit, Department of Oncology Haematology and Respiratory Diseases, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, via del Pozzo 71, 41124, Modena, Italy

    Paolo Spagnolo

  2. Department of Surgical Sciences, section of Radiology, University of Parma, via Università 12, Parma, Italy

    Nicola Sverzellati

  3. Interstitial Lung Disease Unit, Royal Brompton Hospital, Sydney Street SW3 6NP, London, UK

    Athol U. Wells

  4. Department of Radiology, Royal Brompton Hospital, Sydney Street SW3 6NP, London, UK

    David M. Hansell

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  1. Paolo Spagnolo
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  2. Nicola Sverzellati
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  3. Athol U. Wells
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  4. David M. Hansell
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Correspondence to Paolo Spagnolo.

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Spagnolo, P., Sverzellati, N., Wells, A.U. et al. Imaging aspects of the diagnosis of sarcoidosis. Eur Radiol 24, 807–816 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-013-3088-3

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