Sarcoidosis: A great imitator

Abstract

Sarcoidosis is a chronic multisystemic, inflammatory disease with specific granulomatous cutaneous lesions. The cutaneous form may be considered a "great imitator," due to its extensive clinical morphology that occurs in upwards of 20% to 35% of patients. Cutaneous lesions may have a variety of presentations including papules, plaques, nodules, infiltrative scars, annular, angiolupoid, psoriasiform, hypopigmented, atrophic, ulcerative lesions, scarring and nonscarring alopecia, erythroderma, and ichthyosiform lesions. The dermatopathology is generally the same for all of the clinical presentations; however, variations in the cutaneous findings cause confusion in following a clinical course, therapeutic approach, or prognosis.