Systemic granulomatous disorder of unknown etiology
Initially described in 1877 by Hutchinson, an English physician
Boeck described cutaneous lesions and histopathology as "sarcoid" because lesions resembled sarcoma (sarc-) but were benign (-oid)
Diagnosis established when clinical and radiological findings supported by histopathology showing noncaseating epithelioid granulomas
IMAGING
General Features
Mammographic Findings
Ultrasonographic Findings
MR Findings
Nuclear Medicine Findings
CT Findings
DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS
PATHOLOGY
General Features
Staging, Grading, & Classification
Microscopic Features
CLINICAL ISSUES
Presentation
Demographics
Natural History & Prognosis
Treatment
DIAGNOSTIC CHECKLIST
Consider
Image Interpretation Pearls
Selected References
Illman JE et al: Granulomatous diseases of the breast and axilla: radiological findings with pathological correlation. Insights Imaging. 9(1):59-71, 2018
James WE et al: Treatment of sarcoidosis: grading the evidence. Expert Rev Clin Pharmacol. 11(7):677-687, 2018
Arish N et al: Characteristics of sarcoidosis in patients with previous malignancy: Causality or coincidence? Respiration. 93(4):247-252, 2017
Kim SJ et al: Clinical importance and sonographic features of nonpalpable axillary lymphadenopathy identified on breast sonography in patients without malignancy. J Ultrasound Med. 34(12):2193-202, 2015
Blank N et al: Sarcoidosis and the occurrence of malignant diseases. Rheumatol Int. 34(10):1433-9, 2014
Valeyre D et al: Sarcoidosis. Lancet. 383(9923):1155-67, 2014
Isley LM et al: Primary sarcoid of the breast with incidental malignancy. J Clin Imaging Sci. 2:46, 2012
Bush E et al: Sarcoidosis mimicking metastatic breast cancer. Breast J. 17(5):533-5, 2011
Cao MM et al: Mammographic signs of systemic disease. Radiographics. 31(4):1085-100, 2011
Panzacchi R et al: Primary sarcoidosis of the breast: case description and review of the literature. Pathologica. 102(3):104-7, 2010
Hermann G et al: Unusual presentation of sarcoidosis of the breast. Br J Radiol. 81(969):e231-3, 2008
Nguyen BD: F-18 FDG PET imaging of disseminated sarcoidosis. Clin Nucl Med. 32(1):53-4, 2007
Nicholson BT et al: Sarcoidosis of the breast: An unusual presentation of a systemic disease. Breast J. 13(1):99-100, 2007
Harisinghani MG et al: A pilot study of lymphotrophic nanoparticle-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging technique in early stage testicular cancer: a new method for noninvasive lymph node evaluation. Urology. 66(5):1066-71, 2005
Mona el K et al: Quiz case. Breast sarcoidosis presenting as a metastatic breast cancer. Eur J Radiol. 54(1):2-5, 2005
Garcia CA et al: FDG-positron emission tomographic imaging in carcinoma of the breast: interference by massive sarcoidosis. Clin Nucl Med. 28(3):218-9, 2003
Ishimaru K et al: Sarcoidosis of the breast. Eur Radiol. 12 Suppl 3:S105-8, 2002
Lower EE et al: Breast disease in sarcoidosis. Sarcoidosis Vasc Diffuse Lung Dis. 18(3):301-6, 2001
Takahashi R et al: Mammary involvement in a patient with sarcoidosis. Intern Med. 40(8):769-71, 2001
Gisvold JJ et al: Sarcoidosis presenting as spiculated breast masses. Mayo Clin Proc. 75(3):293-5, 2000
Ojeda H et al: Sarcoidosis of the breast: implications for the general surgeon. Am Surg. 66(12):1144-8, 2000
Kirshy D et al: Sarcoidosis of the breast presenting as a spiculated lesion. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 172(2):554-5, 1999
Statement on sarcoidosis: Joint Statement of the American Thoracic Society (ATS), the European Respiratory Society (ERS) and the World Association of Sarcoidosis and Other Granulomatous Disorders (WASOG) adopted by the ATS Board of Directors and by the ERS Executive Committee, February 1999. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 160(2):736-55, 1999
Yamada Y et al: Fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose and carbon-11-methionine evaluation of lymphadenopathy in sarcoidosis. J Nucl Med. 39(7):1160-6, 1998
Kenzel PP et al: Boeck sarcoidosis of the breast: mammographic, ultrasound, and MR findings. J Comput Assist Tomogr. 21(3):439-41, 1997
Bergkvist L et al: Management of accidentally found pathological lymph nodes on routine screening mammography. Eur J Surg Oncol. 22(3):250-3, 1996
Related Anatomy
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References
Tables
Tables
KEY FACTS
Terminology
Imaging
Top Differential Diagnoses
Pathology
Clinical Issues
TERMINOLOGY
Synonyms
Sarcoidosis, Boeck disease, Hutchinson disease
Definitions
Chronic inflammatory disease
Systemic granulomatous disorder of unknown etiology
Initially described in 1877 by Hutchinson, an English physician
Boeck described cutaneous lesions and histopathology as "sarcoid" because lesions resembled sarcoma (sarc-) but were benign (-oid)
Diagnosis established when clinical and radiological findings supported by histopathology showing noncaseating epithelioid granulomas
IMAGING
General Features
Mammographic Findings
Ultrasonographic Findings
MR Findings
Nuclear Medicine Findings
CT Findings
DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS
PATHOLOGY
General Features
Staging, Grading, & Classification
Microscopic Features
CLINICAL ISSUES
Presentation
Demographics
Natural History & Prognosis
Treatment
DIAGNOSTIC CHECKLIST
Consider
Image Interpretation Pearls
Selected References
Illman JE et al: Granulomatous diseases of the breast and axilla: radiological findings with pathological correlation. Insights Imaging. 9(1):59-71, 2018
James WE et al: Treatment of sarcoidosis: grading the evidence. Expert Rev Clin Pharmacol. 11(7):677-687, 2018
Arish N et al: Characteristics of sarcoidosis in patients with previous malignancy: Causality or coincidence? Respiration. 93(4):247-252, 2017
Kim SJ et al: Clinical importance and sonographic features of nonpalpable axillary lymphadenopathy identified on breast sonography in patients without malignancy. J Ultrasound Med. 34(12):2193-202, 2015
Blank N et al: Sarcoidosis and the occurrence of malignant diseases. Rheumatol Int. 34(10):1433-9, 2014
Valeyre D et al: Sarcoidosis. Lancet. 383(9923):1155-67, 2014
Isley LM et al: Primary sarcoid of the breast with incidental malignancy. J Clin Imaging Sci. 2:46, 2012
Bush E et al: Sarcoidosis mimicking metastatic breast cancer. Breast J. 17(5):533-5, 2011
Cao MM et al: Mammographic signs of systemic disease. Radiographics. 31(4):1085-100, 2011
Panzacchi R et al: Primary sarcoidosis of the breast: case description and review of the literature. Pathologica. 102(3):104-7, 2010
Hermann G et al: Unusual presentation of sarcoidosis of the breast. Br J Radiol. 81(969):e231-3, 2008
Nguyen BD: F-18 FDG PET imaging of disseminated sarcoidosis. Clin Nucl Med. 32(1):53-4, 2007
Nicholson BT et al: Sarcoidosis of the breast: An unusual presentation of a systemic disease. Breast J. 13(1):99-100, 2007
Harisinghani MG et al: A pilot study of lymphotrophic nanoparticle-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging technique in early stage testicular cancer: a new method for noninvasive lymph node evaluation. Urology. 66(5):1066-71, 2005
Mona el K et al: Quiz case. Breast sarcoidosis presenting as a metastatic breast cancer. Eur J Radiol. 54(1):2-5, 2005
Garcia CA et al: FDG-positron emission tomographic imaging in carcinoma of the breast: interference by massive sarcoidosis. Clin Nucl Med. 28(3):218-9, 2003
Ishimaru K et al: Sarcoidosis of the breast. Eur Radiol. 12 Suppl 3:S105-8, 2002
Lower EE et al: Breast disease in sarcoidosis. Sarcoidosis Vasc Diffuse Lung Dis. 18(3):301-6, 2001
Takahashi R et al: Mammary involvement in a patient with sarcoidosis. Intern Med. 40(8):769-71, 2001
Gisvold JJ et al: Sarcoidosis presenting as spiculated breast masses. Mayo Clin Proc. 75(3):293-5, 2000
Ojeda H et al: Sarcoidosis of the breast: implications for the general surgeon. Am Surg. 66(12):1144-8, 2000
Kirshy D et al: Sarcoidosis of the breast presenting as a spiculated lesion. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 172(2):554-5, 1999
Statement on sarcoidosis: Joint Statement of the American Thoracic Society (ATS), the European Respiratory Society (ERS) and the World Association of Sarcoidosis and Other Granulomatous Disorders (WASOG) adopted by the ATS Board of Directors and by the ERS Executive Committee, February 1999. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 160(2):736-55, 1999
Yamada Y et al: Fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose and carbon-11-methionine evaluation of lymphadenopathy in sarcoidosis. J Nucl Med. 39(7):1160-6, 1998
Kenzel PP et al: Boeck sarcoidosis of the breast: mammographic, ultrasound, and MR findings. J Comput Assist Tomogr. 21(3):439-41, 1997
Bergkvist L et al: Management of accidentally found pathological lymph nodes on routine screening mammography. Eur J Surg Oncol. 22(3):250-3, 1996
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