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Sarcoidosis

Sarcoidosis vs lymphoma

04/02/2007

Question:

I have recently been diagnosed with sarcoidosis. Followup ct scans identify several areas of lymphadnopathy and "shotty nodes" at the mediastinum and paraaortic areas. Could sarcoidosis be confused with lymphoma to the inexperienced pathologist?

Answer:

Sarcoidosis and lymphoma can be confused on the basis of some common clinical manifestations, including enlarged lymph nodes. However, a good biopsy specimen is considered to be the best way to distinguish between the two. Thus, if you had a biopsy performed of the mediastinal lymph nodes and it showed the typical pathological manifestations of sarcoidosis (and not lymphoma or other causes of enlarged lymph nodes, such as infections), then you can be reassured that it is not lymphoma and is most likely "sarcoidosis".

Sincerely yours,

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Response by:

Elliott D Crouser, MD Elliott D Crouser, MD
Associate Professor of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine
College of Medicine
The Ohio State University