Term |
Defintion |
| Biopsy |
Biopsy is the removal of a piece of tissue which can
be studied with a microscope and can be cultured for germs. In sarcoidosis,
the favorite biopsy locations are the skin, lymph nodes, mediasternum,
and liver.
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| Blood and Urine Calcium |
Calcium is a chemical and is important for all body functions. Too much
calcium may be harmful. Sometimes sarcoidosis causes increased calcium
resulting in kidney stones and damage to the kidneys. |
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| Bronchoscopy |
Bronchoscopy is a procedure where a flexible tube is passed down your
nose into your lungs. Biopsy specimens are taken from the bronchial tubes
and lungs. Bronchoscopy is performed with the airways anesthetized with
local anesthetic, usually with the patient sedated. Bronchoscopy is the
best way to make the diagnosis of sarcoidosis if the patient has no skin
lesion or if the doctor does not have the Kveim-Siltzbach test material.
Bronchoscopy is quick (20-30 minutes), safe and does not require general
anesthesia or a hospital stay. |
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| Chest X-ray |
A chest x-ray is a picture of the inside of the lungs. These pictures
are very typical in sarcoidosis and often suggest the diagnosis to the
doctor. |
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| Erythema Nodosum (EN) |
EN is a painful red bump, usually several, most commonly located on the
shins or forearms. They are present in about 10% of white patients and
may be the first sign of sarcoidosis. |
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| Granuloma |
A granuloma is a tiny collection of cells that look like a grain of sand
and can be seen only with a microscope. |
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| Hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil) |
Hydroxychloroquine is effective in treating
sarcoidosis, but not as powerful as cortisone. It has few bad side effects. |
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| Kveim-Siltzbach Test (KS) |
The Kveim Siltzbach Test is a skin test made from the spleen of a patient
with sarcoidosis. The test is positive in 80% of patients with active sarcoidosis.
If sarcoidosis has been present for more than 2 years, the KS test is positive
in less than 50% of patients. Therefore, a positive test means you have
sarcoidosis, but a negative test does not mean that you do not have sarcoidosis. |
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| Lacrimal Glands |
The lacrimal glands are the glands that make tears and are located in
the outer part of your eyes, usually under the eyelids. They frequently
enlarge in sarcoidosis. |
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| Lymph Nodes |
Lymph nodes are filters located throughout your body, most commonly in
the neck, armpits, mediasternum (middle of the chest), and groin. |
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| Mediastenoscopy |
Mediastenoscopy is performed under general anesthesia by a surgeon in
an operating room. A small incision is made in the depression between your
Adam’s apple and breast bone. A tube is placed through the incision
and passed down behind your breast bone where most of your chest lymph
nodes are. Biopsy is performed. Sometimes the patient goes home the same
day; sometimes they stay overnight. |
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| Methotrexate, Imuran, Cytoxen, and Thalidomide |
These are all experimental medicines that help some patients with sarcoidosis.
All have bad side effects, and are used if prednisone and plaquenil do
not work. |
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| Parotid Glands |
The parotid glands are located in the cheeks at the angle of the jaw.
They frequently enlarge inn sarcoidosis. They can be confused with mumps. |
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| Prednisone |
Prednisone is a form of cortisone. It is the most effective medicine
for sarcoidosis. Cortisone has many bad side effects. Fortunately, when
necessary, patients with sarcoidosis respond to small doses of prednisone
and have few bad side effects. |
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| Pulmonary Function Test (PFT) |
The PFT measures your ability to move air in and out of your chest. Some
tests measure the oxygen levels in your bloodstream. The PFT is a very
important guide for the treatment of sarcoidosis. |
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| Serum Angiotension Converting Enzyme Levels (SAC) |
This blood test is elevated in 50% of patients with sarcoidosis. It is
not diagnostic for sarcoidosis and is a poor guide to treatment. |
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| X-ray Stage |
There are no stages in sarcoidosis. X-ray stages simply refer to the
x-ray pattern. Except when scars are seen on the x-ray, all the other patterns
do not tell the doctor whether treatment will be good for you. |
