Symptoms & Signs
There may be no symptoms. When symptoms occur, they can involve almost any part or organ system in your body.
Almost all patients have lung or chest symptoms:
- Dry cough
- Shortness of breath
- Discomfort behind your breast bone
- Abnormal breath sounds (such as rales)
Symptoms of general discomfort or uneasiness often occur:
- Ill feeling (malaise)
- Fatigue (one of the most common symptoms in children)
- Fever
- Weight loss (one of the most common symptoms in children)
- Joint achiness or pain (arthralgia)
Skin symptoms:
- Skin rashes
- Old scars become more raised
- Raised, red, firm skin sores (erythema nodosum), almost always on the front part of the lower legs
- Skin lesions
- Hair loss
Nervous system (neurological) and vision changes:
- Headache
- Seizures
- Weakness or paralysis (palsy) on one side of the face
- Eye burning, itching, and discharge
- Symptoms of uveitis
- Decreased tearing
Other symptoms of this disease:
- Enlarged lymph glands (armpit lump)
- Enlarged liver
- Enlarged spleen
- Dry mouth
- Nosebleed
Diagnosis & Tests
Often the disease is found in patients with no symptoms who have an abnormal chest x-ray.
Different imaging tests may help diagnose sarcoidosis:
- Chest x-ray to see if the lungs are involved or lymph nodes are enlarged
- CT scan
- Lung gallium (Ga.) scan
Biopsies of different tissues may be done:
- Lymph node biopsy
- Skin lesion biopsy
- Bronchoscopy to perform a biopsy
- Open lung biopsy
- Mediastinoscopy with biopsy
- Liver biopsy
- Kidney biopsy
- Nerve biopsy
- Heart biopsy
This disease may also alter the results of the following lab tests:
- CBC
- Chem-7 or chem-20
- Quantitative immunoglobulins (nephelometry)
- PTH
- Serum phosphorus
- Immunoelectrophoresis – serum
- Calcium – urine
- Calcium – ionized
- Calcium – serum
- Liver function tests
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Sarcoidosis : Overview, Causes, & Risk Factors
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Sarcoidosis : Symptoms & Signs, Diagnosis & Tests
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Sarcoidosis : Treatment
Review Date : 5/21/2009
Reviewed By : Allen J. Blaivas, D.O., Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
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