title: Abdominal sarcoidosis: cross-sectional imaging findings.
abstract: Sarcoidosis is a multisystem inflammatory disease of unknown etiology. The lungs and the lymphoid system are the most commonly involved organs. Extrapulmonary involvement is reported in 30% of patients, and the abdomen is the most common extrapulmonary site with a frequency of 50%-70%. Although intra-abdominal sarcoidosis is usually asymptomatic, its presence may affect the prognosis and treatment options. The lesions are less characteristic and may mimick neoplastic or infectious diseases such as lymphoma, diffuse metastasis, and granulomatous inflammation. The liver and spleen are the most common abdominal sites of involvement. Sarcoidosis of the gastrointestinal system, pancreas, and kidneys are extremely rare. Adenopathy which is most commonly found in the porta hepatis, exudative ascites, and multiple granulomatous nodules studding the peritoneum are the reported manifestations of abdominal sarcoidosis. Since abdominal sarcoidosis is less common and long-standing, unrecognized disease can result in significant morbidity and mortality. Imaging contributes to diagnosis and management of intra-abdominal sarcoidosis. In this report we reviewed the cross-sectional imaging findings of hepatobiliary, gastrointestinal, and genitourinary sarcoidosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, Turkey. drsinemgezer@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Naciye Sinem
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Gezer
authors.forename: Işıl
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Başara
authors.forename: Canan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Altay
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Harman
authors.forename: Laurence
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rocher
authors.forename: Nevzat
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Karabulut
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Seçil
mesh_terms: D000005:Abdomen / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D019412:Anatomy, Cross-Sectional / Q000379:methods; D001649:Bile Duct Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D005260:Female; D052776:Female Urogenital Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012507:Sarcoidosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D055815:Young Adult