Necrotizing Sarcoid Granulomatosis Diagnosed by Video Thoracoscopic Lung Biopsy

Abstract

A 28-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital because of chest pain. A chest roentgenogram and a chest computed tomogram revealed many nodular shadows on both sides. Examinations of specimens obtained by and by transbronchial lung biopsy during fiberoptic bronchoscopy were not diagnostic, and therefore video thoracoscopic lung biopsy was done. The lung lesion was characterized by aggregates of epithelioid cell granulomas, along with granulomatous and necrotizing angitis. We therefore diagnosed necrotizing sarcoid granulomatosis, and began to administer prednisolone. The nodular shadows disappered within four weeks. In this case video thoracoscopic lung biopsy was useful in the diagnosis of necrotizing sarcoid granulomatosis in the lung.