Sarcoidosis Diagnosis

Sarcoidosis diagnosis

        Sarcoidosis is a disorder of the immune system that can attack any organ. However, it is most often the lungs and lymph nodes, particularly those of the rib cage, which are affected first. Sarcoidosis is characterized by the presence of small areas (microscopic) or masses of inflamed cells called granulomas. The granulomas can grow and form larger groups in which they affect the body functions.

        One can detect granulomas within the body, eg on the walls of the bronchi and bronchioles (airway) into lungs. They can also come in the form of skin lesions. Sarcoidosis affects the eyes and the liver and spleen, more rarely, nerves, heart, brain, salivary glands, lacrimal glands, bones and joints.

Sarcoidosis medical tests

        Laboratory Sarcoidosis tests reveal:

• An overall increase of immunoglobulins.
• A hypercalcemia (elevated calcium in the blood), especially when the granulomas produces the vitamin.
• The elevation of angiotensin converting enzyme. This enzyme is involved in the hormonal control of blood pressure. It is secreted by giant cells, epithelioid cells and macrophages cells from transformed. It produces the inflammation of alveoli (alveolitis) after secretion of the growth factors.
• The samples taken on different tissues (lymph nodes, skin, liver and salivary glands in particular) can complement the diagnosis.
• The cuti reaction (tuberculin skin test) is negative (of course, this test has value only when it was positive before).
• Uric acid in the blood is often increased.
• The alkaline phosphatases are increased when the liver is reached.
• There is sometimes a discreet anemia.

Evolution of the Sarcoidosis disease

        Remission is full or almost in two thirds of cases. There are visual or respiratory disorders in 1 / 5 of cases and neurological and cardiac disorders in 10% of cases. Sometimes it's spontaneous healing. Mortality is very low. The diagnosis of sarcoidosis is based on the subject's medical history, physical examination, laboratory tests, the respiratory function and chest radiography. The elimination of other diseases whose symptoms are similar and a biopsy of one of the organs will confirm the diagnosis. Sarcoidosis is not a type of cancer.

Sarcoidosis diagnosis pictures

Is Sarcoidosis widespread?

        Sarcoidosis occurs in both men and women but most often between the ages of 20 and 40 years. People of african and scandinavian descent are more likely to develop this disease. The incidence is 1 to 40 victims per 100 000 people in the United States, 20 cases per 100 000 people in Great Britain, and from 3 to 50 cases per 100 000 people in Europe.