Nodular Pulmonary Sarcoidosis

Abstract

Nodular sarcoidosis is a rare form of pulmonary sarcoidosis comprising 4% of lung involvement in this disease. It usually affects African American women with a mean age of 35 years. It presents with constitutional symptoms associated with chest imaging findings of multiple or solitary lung nodules. In our case we present a 38-year-old woman who had chronic productive cough associated with fever and dyspnea for 1 month. She had course of antibiotics without improvement in her symptoms. Chest imaging showed multiple nodules measuring up to 7.5 cm in size. Lung biopsy was obtained and histopathology revealed non-caseating granulomas consistent with sarcoidosis. Angiotensin-converting enzyme levels were elevated. She received systemic steroids and the nodules resolved on follow-up imaging.

Sarcoidosis presenting as a solitary pulmonary mass

“…An observational study on 33 cases of nodular sarcoidosis revealed that 18% of patients presented with a solitary mass or nodule [ 4 ]. Although large pulmonary masses are extremely rare, nodular sarcoidosis of size up to 7.5 cm have been described [ 7 ]. Lesions predominately involve the upper lobes and are generally located in the periphery of the lungs, with ill defined, irregular borders [ 4 , 8 ].…”