Sarcoidosis

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Medical Author:

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.

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Medical Editor:

William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR

William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR

Dr. Shiel received a Bachelor of Science degree with honors from the University of Notre Dame. There he was involved in research in radiation biology and received the Huisking Scholarship. After graduating from St. Louis University School of Medicine, he completed his Internal Medicine residency and Rheumatology fellowship at the University of California, Irvine. He is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology.

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• Sarcoidosis Overview
• Sarcoidosis Causes
• Sarcoidosis Symptoms
• When to Seek Medical Care
• Exams and Tests
• Sarcoidosis Treatment
• Self-Care at Home
• Medical Treatment
• Medications
• Next Steps
• Follow-up
• Prevention
• Outlook
• Synonyms and Keywords
• Author and Editor
• Read more on Sarcoidosis from Healthwise
• Viewer Comments: Sarcoidosis - Symptoms
• Viewer Comments: Sarcoidosis - Describe Your Experience

Sarcoidosis Overview

Sarcoidosis is a disease that features a specific type of inflammation of various tissues of the body. Sarcoidosis can appear in almost any body organ, but it starts most often in the lungs or lymph nodes. As sarcoidosis progresses, microscopic lumps of a specific form of inflammation, called granulomas, appear in the affected tissues. In the majority of cases, these granulomas clear up, either with or without treatment. In the few cases in which the granulomas do not heal and disappear, the tissues involved tend to remain inflamed and become scarred (fibrotic). In addition to the lungs and lymph nodes, the organs more likely than others to be affected by sarcoidosis are the liver, skin, heart, nervous system, and kidneys, in that order of frequency.

Sarcoidosis is sometimes named according to the organ involved.

• When sarcoidosis affects the lungs, it can be referred to as lung sarcoidosis or pulmonary sarcoidosis.
  
  
• When sarcoidosis affects the liver, it can be referred to as hepatic sarcoidosis.
  
  
• When sarcoidosis affects the skin, it can be referred to as skin sarcoidosis or sarcoid dermatitis.
  
  
• When sarcoidosis affects the heart, it can be referred to as heart sarcoidosis or cardiac sarcoidosis.
  
  
• When sarcoidosis affects the nervous system including the brain, it can be referred to as neurological sarcoidosis or neurosarcoidosis.
  
  
• When sarcoidosis affects the kidneys, it can be referred to as kidney sarcoidosis or renal sarcoidosis.