Diffuse spine involvement in sarcoidosis with sternal lytic lesions: two case reports.
METHODS
Case report.


OBJECTIVE
To report 2 cases of sarcoidosis with a diffuse vertebral involvement, associated with a rare location in the sternum.


BACKGROUND
Sarcoidosis is a systemic disease of unknown cause with various clinical and radiologic manifestations. Bone involvement is rare (1%-13% of cases). Vertebral involvement is very uncommon. Lytic lesions, sclerotic lesions, or both of these patterns may be observed.


METHODS
One patient complained of diffuse bone pain; the second patient was asymptomatic. Each patient had radiograph, CT, and MRI of the spine. The second patient also underwent a PET/CT FDG-(18F). Sternal bone biopsy was performed in both patients. Pathologic findings indicated typical pattern of bone sarcoidosis. Clinical and biologic improvement was noticed after treatment with corticosteroids.


RESULTS
In our 2 cases, radiograph, CT, MRI, and PET/CT findings were evocative of diffuse spine involvement in sarcoidosis associated with sternal lytic lesions. This suspicion was confirmed by histopathologic findings, which found a typical pattern of sarcoidosis.


CONCLUSIONS
These 2 cases emphasize the value of CT, MRI, and FDG-(18F) PET/CT for the diagnosis of diffuse spinal involvement in sarcoidosis and describe an exceptional association with sternal lytic lesions.
Clarençon
Frédéric
F
Service de Radiologie, APHP, Hôpital Bichat, Paris, France. fredclare5@msn.com
Silbermann-Hoffman
Olivia
O
Lebreton
Caroline
C
Fernandez
Pédro
P
Kerrou
Khaldoun
K
Marchand-Adam
Sylvain
S
Hourseau
Muriel
M
Schouman-Claeys
Elisabeth
E
Feydy
Antoine
A
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D010014:Osteolysis / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D010026:Osteosclerosis / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D012507:Sarcoidosis / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D013122:Spinal Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D013249:Sternum / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18