title: Typical and atypical pattern of pulmonary sarcoidosis at high-resolution CT: relation to clinical evolution and therapeutic procedures.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study was done to evaluate the importance of high-resolution CT (HRCT) in defining pattern and extent of disease and establishing the clinical and therapeutic pathway in sarcoidosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective analysis of 56 patients with pulmonary involvement of sarcoidosis was performed. Two groups were identified: 39 patients exhibiting a typical HRCT pattern and 17 patients with an atypical pattern. Inclusion criteria were the presence of radiological documentation (HRCT) of disease, clinical and radiological follow-up of 1 year and the beginning of any therapy within 1 month from the diagnosis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among subjects not receiving therapy, the comparison between the two groups showed that the radiological findings remained stable in subjects with a typical pattern, while they worsened in more than 70% of cases with atypical appearance. Therapy was more effective in patients with a typical pattern. Recurrences occurred in both groups, but more often in patients with a typical pattern. One patient not receiving treatment experienced clinical worsening. Re-evaluation of HRCT within 1 year revealed no correlation between clinical deterioration and radiological changes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings of this study suggest that persistence of the inflammatory process rather than the radiological pattern at onset is a prognostic factor for recurrence.
authors.affiliation: UOC Radiologia, Ospedale S. Donà di Piave, Via N. Sauro, 30027, S Donà di Piave, VE, Italy, rpolve@libero.it.
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Polverosi
authors.forename: Rosangela
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Russo
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Coran
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Battista
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Agostini
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pomerri
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Giraudo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002738:Chloroquine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017565:Sarcoidosis, Pulmonary / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D013256:Steroids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D013256:Steroids; D002738:Chloroquine; D008727:Methotrexate