Splenic sarcoidosis: a case report and review of the imaging findings of multiple incidental splenic lesions as the initial presentation of sarcoidosis

Accuracy of extended point-of-care lung ultrasound (EPLUS) for aetiological differentiation of lower respiratory tract infections: a prospective cohort study from India

BACKGROUND

Infectious respiratory diseases significantly cause morbidity and mortality worldwide, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) with limited diagnostic resources. This study explored the utility of lung ultrasound (LUS) paired with extra-pulmonary point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) for differentiating infectious aetiologies in lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI).

METHODS

This prospective cohort study was conducted at a tertiary care centre in India. We recruited consenting adults with suspected LRTI who underwent extended point-of-care lung ultrasound (EPLUS). The protocol included thoracic and abdominal views assessing for lung consolidations and B-lines, pleural effusion, pericardial effusion, focal splenic lesions, and abdominal lymphadenopathy and correlated these with patients' final diagnoses.

RESULTS

We included 322 participants in our analysis cohort, which had a notable prevalence of previously existing chronic lung conditions (21%) and an HIV-prevalence of 5%. Infectious lung disease was identified in 48% of patients, comprising 35% with non-TB LRTI and 13% with TB. Non-infectious lung disease was present in 21% of patients. LUS detected consolidations in 75% and >3 B-lines in 72% of participants. LUS findings were mostly non-specific and prevalent across both infectious and non-infectious conditions. Extra-pulmonary ultrasound findings, such as pericardial effusion and splenic lesions, findings common in disseminated tuberculosis, were rare.

CONCLUSION

The study highlights the high sensitivity of LUS for detecting pulmonary changes but revealed low specificity to differentiate pulmonary conditions, especially in the presence of pre-existing comorbidities. Future research should explore the accuracy of combinations of clinical characteristics and ultrasound findings in algorithmic approaches, which may improve diagnostics in resource-limited settings.

Diagnostic Challenges in a Case of Refractory Severe Hypercalcemia Due to Splenic Sarcoidosis

Hypercalcemia is frequently encountered in clinical practice; however, sarcoidosis-induced hypercalcemia is relatively uncommon and requires careful evaluation, particularly when initial investigations are inconclusive or the hypercalcemia is refractory to standard treatment. We present a complex case of a 60-year-old female with chronic stage IV diabetic nephropathy who presented with acute severe asymptomatic hypercalcemia resulting from splenic sarcoidosis confirmed on splenic biopsy. Despite commencement of prednisone therapy, her hypercalcemia persisted. IV fluid therapy was complicated by fluid overload from chronic renal disease. Ketoconazole was trialed as second-line therapy with no initial improvement. Our case illustrates the diagnostic and therapeutic challenges associated with asymptomatic hypercalcemia attributed to systemic sarcoidosis on a background of chronic renal impairment. It underscores the importance of considering systemic sarcoidosis as a potential etiology in cases of acute PTH-independent hypercalcemia resistant to initial therapy.

Spontaneous improvement of sarcoidosis mimicking a vertebral metastatic lesion: It's indeed possible!

The diagnosis of vertebral sarcoidosis can be challenging. Besides, there is no consensus for the treatment of these lesions. Exceptionally, lesions may show spontaneous regression. To our knowledge, there are only two case reports of spontaneous resolution of vertebral sarcoidosis documented by follow-up MRI. Herein, we present a third case.

A Woman With Dyspnea, Weight Loss, and Splenic Lesions

CASE PRESENTATION

The patient is a 37-year-old hospital employee and current smoker with a 10 pack-year smoking history, who presented with dyspnea, chest pain, and weight loss. She was in her usual state of health until 4 months prior to admission when she developed intermittent left-sided chest pain, cough productive of scant yellow sputum, fevers, and anorexia. Initial chest radiograph was normal and her outpatient physician prescribed azithromycin, which she took without improvement. One month prior to admission, a follow-up chest radiograph revealed a left-sided upper lobe consolidation; she received a course of levofloxacin without improvement. At follow-up, given her occupation, 13.6-kg unintentional weight loss, and persistent pulmonary symptoms and infiltrate despite treatment for pneumonia, her provider referred her for admission with particular concern for exclusion of active TB. As a hospital employee with clinical exposure, she underwent annual TB screening, which was always negative. She had no known exposure to patients with TB. Her most recent travel was to the Midwestern United States, without significant outdoors exposure. Review of systems was positive for wheezing, anorexia, and arthralgias of both knees and the left ankle and wrist. There was no hemoptysis, leg swelling, visual changes, palpitations, or muscle weakness.

Sarcoidosis: Causes, Diagnosis, Clinical Features, and Treatments

Sarcoidosis is a multisystem granulomatous disease with nonspecific clinical manifestations that commonly affects the pulmonary system and other organs including the eyes, skin, liver, spleen, and lymph nodes. Sarcoidosis usually presents with persistent dry cough, eye and skin manifestations, weight loss, fatigue, night sweats, and erythema nodosum. Sarcoidosis is not influenced by sex or age, although it is more common in adults (< 50 years) of African-American or Scandinavians decent. Diagnosis can be difficult because of nonspecific symptoms and can only be verified following histopathological examination. Various factors, including infection, genetic predisposition, and environmental factors, are involved in the pathology of sarcoidosis. Exposures to insecticides, herbicides, bioaerosols, and agricultural employment are also associated with an increased risk for sarcoidosis. Due to its unknown etiology, early diagnosis and detection are difficult; however, the advent of advanced technologies, such as endobronchial ultrasound-guided biopsy, high-resolution computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography has improved our ability to reliably diagnose this condition and accurately forecast its prognosis. This review discusses the causes and clinical features of sarcoidosis, and the improvements made in its prognosis, therapeutic management, and the recent discovery of potential biomarkers associated with the diagnostic assay used for sarcoidosis confirmation.

Laparoscopic splenectomy for isolated splenic sarcoidosis: A case report

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Isolated splenic sarcoidosis is difficult to diagnose due to its rarity.

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Laparoscopic splenectomy has become the gold standard in patients presenting with solid splenic lesions.

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Laparoscopic splenectomy is less invasive and useful as part of the diagnostic approach.

Introduction

Isolated splenic sarcoidosis is difficult to diagnosis due to its rarity. Laparoscopic splenectomy has become the gold standard for therapeutic diagnosis in patients presenting with solid splenic lesions because needle biopsy can lead to bleeding and tract seeding.

Presentation of case

A 59-year-old female was referred to our hospital due to abnormal accumulation in the spleen on abdominal ultrasonography. Enhanced computed tomography showed three heterogeneously enhanced nodules. Magnetic resonance imaging showed hypointense nodules on T2-weighted images. The initial diagnosis was a fibrous hamartoma or an inflammatory pseudotumor. At follow-up 4 months later, the splenic nodules had increased in size, and diagnostic laparoscopic splenectomy was performed without complications. Histopathologically, the splenic nodules contained noncaseating granulomas comprising epithelioid cells, multinucleated giant cells, and asteroid inclusion bodies. Postoperatively, examinations found no other organ involvement, and the final diagnosis was isolated splenic sarcoidosis. There was no evidence of recurrence at 2 years postoperatively, and systemic treatment was not required.

Conclusion

Radiological imaging studies are insufficient for the differential diagnosis of splenic lesions in sarcoidosis from other diseases, whereas laparoscopic splenectomy is less invasive and useful as part of the diagnostic approach.

[Splenic sarcoidosis diagnosed by US-guided biopsy: About a case]

INTRODUCTION

Splenic localisation of sarcoidosis is common but rare as unique location. We report a case diagnosed by US-guided biopsy.

OBSERVATION

A 42-year-old woman presented atypic and recidivant epigastric pain. Abdominal ultrasound showed splenic hypoechoic nodules not characterizable with CT or MRI. PET-CT revealed hypermetabolism without any other abnormal metabolic activity. US-guided biopsy with small needle achieved diagnosis of isolated splenic sarcoidosis.

CONCLUSION

Diagnosis of splenic nodular sarcoidosis can be challenging without any other localization. Splenic biopsy achieved diagnosis. This procedure is associated with a low risk of complications - in particular hemorragic ones. Diagnostic splenectomy should be an exceptional intervention.

Isolated sarcoidosis of accessory spleen in the greater omentum: A case report

Sarcoidosis is a multisystemic disease of unknown origin characterized by the formation of non-caseating granulomas. Thoracic involvement is the most common presentation; however, sarcoidosis can involve almost any other organ. To the best of our knowledge there have been only 10 cases of splenic sarcoidosis reported in the English literature, with no reports of sarcoidosis of an accessory spleen. The present study reports a case of isolated sarcoidosis of an accessory spleen in the greater omentum, which was identified postoperatively in a 44-year-old female. Chest X-ray results were normal. Gastric endoscopy demonstrated an ulcer in the antrum, which was confirmed to be a signet-ring cell carcinoma via biopsy. Computed tomography of the abdomen revealed mild thickening of the posterior antrum, and a mass in the inferior pole of the left kidney. Intraoperatively, no masses were detected in the liver and spleen. Moreover, no enlarged lymph nodes were detected in the abdominal cavity, pelvic cavity, mesenteric and para-aorta. Following a radical distal gastrectomy and left radical nephrectomy, postoperative pathology demonstrated signet-ring cell carcinoma in the antrum, left renal clear cell cancer and a red lesion measuring 0.5×0.5 cm in the greater omentum, which was similar to the spleen in the splenic cavity and was regarded as an accessory spleen. Following exclusion of fungi and acid-fast bacilli as causative agents, sarcoidosis of the accessory spleen in the greater omentum was confirmed. The patient recovered uneventfully and was discharged on day 8 postoperation. The patient remained alive after two-year follow-up without sarcoidosis and malignant tumor recurrence. The present case demonstrated that, intraoperatively, comprehensive exploration should be conducted to exclude the accessory spleen, which may also suffer from sarcoidosis.