[Diagnosis and treatment of sarcoidosis (author's transl)]

Abstract

With only a few exceptions, in sarcoidosis the lung is virtually always, the liver mostly and the spleen only occasionally involved. Therefore, thorax-X-ray is the most important screening procedure. Histological verification by laparoscopy, bronchoscopy (transbronchial lung biopsy and bronchial mucosa biopsy) or mediastinoscopy is essential. In order to decide the therapeutic regimen, particularly the use of corticosteroids, the staging according to Wurm seems less suitable than pulmonary function testing (pneumotachograph, plethysmograph, CO-transfer, compliance). Futher clinical trials will have to find out, whether enzyme analysis (ACE) is apt to monitor progression of disease or to diagnose sarcoidosis in clinical routine use.