title: [The value of mediastinoscopy in the diagnosis of thoracic sarcoidosis].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the role of mediastinoscopy in the diagnosis of thoracic sarcoidosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study was retrospective. Mediastinoscopy was performed in a total of 30 patients who had enlarged mediastinal lymph nodes on chest CT and were clinically suspected of having sarcoidosis from November 1999 to June 2004. Biopsy tissues from peritracheal, retrosternal, subcarinal, or bilateral hilar regions were obtained for pathological study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All the patients had a definitive pathologic diagnosis, consisting of 24 cases of stage I and 6 stage II thoracic sarcoidosis. The diagnostic consistency between preoperation and postoperation was 40% (12/30), and the misdiagnosis rate preoperation was 60% (18/30). In this series, the initial diagnosis had been malignancy in 17 cases (57%), of whom 3 had received chemotherapy at local hospitals. The overall incidences of postoperative complication and mortality were 0.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our experience showed that mediastinoscopy is a valuable procedure which helps confirm the diagnosis of mediastinal disease. Given its safety and efficacy, it should be considered in the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of thoracic sarcoidosis of stage I or II.
authors: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing 100044, China.
authors: Hui
authors: H
authors: Zhao
authors: Jun
authors: J
authors: Wang
authors: Jian-feng
authors: JF
authors: Li
authors: Jun
authors: J
authors: Liu
authors: Yun
authors: Y
authors: Li
authors: Yan-guo
authors: YG
authors: Liu
authors: Ying-tai
authors: YT
authors: Chen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008477:Mediastinal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008481:Mediastinoscopy; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012507:Sarcoidosis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D017565:Sarcoidosis, Pulmonary / Q000175:diagnosis