Abstract
We report a rare case of an incidental diagnosis of necrotizing sarcoid granulomatosis (NSG) in a 60-year-old non smoker male. The patient was admitted to the hospital for sudden back pain. Chest X-ray revealed areas of parenchymal consolidation and high resolution computed tomography demonstrated a pulmonary nodular pattern without any lymph node enlargement. All laboratory and pulmonary function tests were normal. Bronchoscopy with bronchoalveolar lavage showed no sign of infection or specific inflammation. The diagnosis of NSG was made by histopathological examination of a lung surgical biopsy and by excluding other causes of granulomatous disease. In pauci/asymptomatic patients, as was our case, therapy is not necessary with a good prognosis and complete recovery. NSG is a rare systemic disease lying in between sarcoidosis and Wegener’s granulomatosis with a benign clinical course that should always be kept in mind in patients with nodular pulmonary lesions even with subclinical or uncommon features.
Footnotes
- Corresponding Author:
, Fiorella Calabrese M.D. Department of Cardiac, Thoracic and Vascular Sciences, section of Pathological Anatomy. University of Padova. Via Gabelli, 61, 35121, Padova, Italy; Email: fiorella.calabrese{at}unipd.it, Office phone: + 39 049 8272268; Fax: +39 049 8272265 Conflicts of interest: none.
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