title: [Clinical pathology of granulomatous inflammation : With special emphasis on the lungs and central nervous system].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Granulomatous diseases are not rare in routine daily diagnostics. Granulomas are an indication of a sufficiently functioning immune system. In the absence of granulomas, a possible immunodeficiency should also be considered (e.g. in tuberculosis) in the diagnostic procedure. Many types of diseases with different etiologies can cause granulomatous manifestations.
  
  
  METHODS
  Diagnostic procedures should be oriented to the clinical symptoms and should include blood analyses, radiography, especially computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and sampling for histology or cytology. In the case of proven granulomatous inflammation an infectious etiology should first be excluded. The diagnosis of a granulomatous disease should always be confirmed by histopathology when possible.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In this study the origins and general histopathological classification of granulomatous diseases are presented. In addition to the most common granulomatous diseases, some special and rare forms are discussed, which should also be considered in the differential diagnostic process.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The diagnosis of a granulomatous disease should always be made in an interdisciplinary cooperation and requires close collaboration between radiologists, internists, pathologists and specialists in laboratory parameters.
authors: Pathologisches Institut, Universitätsklinikum Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 224, 69120, Heidelberg, Deutschland. csaba.toth@med.uni-heidelberg.de.
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Tóth
mesh_terms: D019411:Clinical Laboratory Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D004660:Encephalitis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D006099:Granuloma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology
keywords: Central nervous system; Granuloma; Histopathology; Immune response; Lungs