Abstract
While sarcoidosis is rare in childhood, it should be considered in any differential diagnosis of childhood
uveitis. Histological diagnosis of sarcoidosis requires both the pathologic evidence of non-caseating epithelioid
granulomas found on tissue biopsy and the exclusion of other diseases.
The case was a 14-year-old, Japanese girl. She had dry cough for about 2 weeks and bilateral conjunctival
hyperemia for about 5 weeks, and then diagnosed as uveitis. Swelling of lacrimal, parotid and submandibular
glands were not observed. Systemic close examinations showed decreased salivary secretion, low pulmonary
diffusion capacity. Chest CT examination detected a pulmonary nodule in the left lower lung and patchy
consolidations in both basal lungs. Gallium whole body scintigraphy revealed a characteristic pattern of uptakes
in the bilateral lacrimal, parotid and submandibular glands, which was called the panda sign, while uptakes
in the pulmonary lesions were not evident. Non-caseating epithelioid granulomas were detected on
parotid gland biopsy, then she was diagnosed as sarcoidosis histologically.
The panda sign on Gallium whole body scintigraphy is a typical and supportive sign for the diagnosis
of sarcoidosis and is useful for the selection of an appropriate biopsy site.
