Abstract
Abdominal imaging studies may be performed for various indications in patients known to have sarcoidosis. To assess magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and sonographic ability to detect abnormalities in sarcoidosis patients with abdominal involvement, a prospective study on 18 selected patients was performed. Besides organomegaly, when present, ultrasound demonstrated normal or increased hepatic parenchymal echogenicity, coarsening of the liver parenchyma with or without discrete nodules, focal calcifications, as well as contour irregularity. Splenic discrete nodules were seen on ultrasound in a single patient. Besides organomegaly, MRI abnormalities include abnormal hepatic signal intensity, discrete nodules, contour irregularity, spiculation of small hepatic vascular branches, and a high periportal signal intensity. MRI splenic abnormalities include contour irregularity, nodularity, and abnormal signal intensity.
The data presented in this study reveals the spectrum of ultrasound and MRI findings in sarcoidosis patients with abdominal organ involvement, potentially enabling the evaluation of the severity of the disease. MRI appears more sensitive than ultrasound for study of abdominal sarcoidosis.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Scadding JG, Mitchell DN, Sarcoidosis, 2nd ed. London: Chapman and Hall, 1985:260–289
Israel HL, Margolis ML, Rose LJ. Hepatic granulomatosis and sarcoidosis: further observations. Dig Dis Sci 1984;29:353–356
Levine MS, Ikberg O, Rubesin SE, et al. Gastrointestinal sarcoidosis: radiographic findings. AJR 1989;153:293–295
Deutch SJ, Sandler MA, Tankanow LB. Abdominal lymphadenopathy in sarcoidosis. J Ultrasound Med 1987;6:237–242
Sagalow BR, Miller CL, Wechsler RJ. Pancreatic sarcoidosis mimicking pancreatic cancer. J Clin Ultrasound 1988;16:131–134
Meranze S, Coleman B, Arger P, et al. Retroperitoneal manifestations of sarcoidosis on computed tomography. J Comput Assist Tomogr. 1985;9:50–52
Britt AR, Francis IR, Glazer GM, et al. Sarcoidosis: abdominal manifestations at CT. Radiology 1991;178:91–94.9
Nakata K, Iwata K, Kojima K, et al. Computed tomography of liver sarcoidosis. J Comput Assist Tomogr 1989;13:707–708
Mathieu D, Vanderstigel M, Schaeffer A, et al. Computed tomography of splenic sarcoidosis. J Comput Assist Tomogr 1986;10:679–680
Hughes JJ, Wilder WM. Computed tomography of renal sarcoidosis. J Comput Assist Tomogr 1988;12:1057–1058
Bach DB, Vellet AD. Retroperitoneal sarcoidosis. AJR 1991;156:520–522
Flickinger FW, Pfeifer EA. Hepatic sarcoidosis: MR findings. AJR 1991;156:1324–1325
Mitchell DG, Siegelman ES, Rifkin ME, et al. Hepatic cirrhosis: MRI diagnosis with histologic correlation. JMRI 1991;1:210
Iko BO, Chunwuba C, Anderson JE, et al. Multifocal defects and splenomegaly in sarcoidosis: a new scintigraphic pattern. J Nat Assoc 1982;74:739–741
Israel HL, Albertine KH, Park CH, Patrick H. Whole body gallium-67 scans: role in diagnosis of sarcoidosis. Am Rev Respir Dis 1991;144:1182–1186
Iwai K, Oka H. Sarcoidosis: report of ten biopsy cases in Japan. Am Rev Respir Dis 1964;90:612
Tekeste H, Latour F, Levitt RE. Portal hypertension complicating sarcoid liver disease: case report and review of the literature. Am J Gastroenterol 1984;79:389
Craig JR. Liver: chronic infection and other chronic disorders. In: Kissane JM, ed. Anderson pathology, 9th ed. Philadelphia: CV Mosby, 1990:1283–1284
Matsui O, Kadoya M, Takashima T, et al. Intrahepatic periportal abnormal intensity on MR images: an indication of venous hepatobiliary disease. Radiology 1989;171:335–338
Outwater E, Kaplan MM, Bankoff MS. Lymphadenopathy in primary biliary cirrhosis: CT observation. Radiology 1989;171:731–733
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Kessler, A., Mitchell, D.G., Israel, H.L. et al. Hepatic and splenic sarcoidosis: Ultrasound and MR imaging. Abdom Imaging 18, 159–163 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00198055
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00198055