[The value of mediastinoscopy in the diagnosis of thoracic sarcoidosis].
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.
Zhao
Hui
H
Department of Thoracic Surgery, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing 100044, China.
Wang
Jun
J
Li
Jian-feng
JF
Liu
Jun
J
Li
Yun
Y
Liu
Yan-guo
YG
Chen
Ying-tai
YT
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