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Case report
Unusual presentation of sarcoidosis, requiring a positron emission tomography/CT (PET/CT) for diagnosis
  1. Kenneth O'Riordan1,
  2. Tauseef Mohyuddin2 and
  3. Manus Moloney2
  1. 1Medicine, Nenagh General Hospital, Nenagh, Tipperary, Ireland
  2. 2Gastroenterology, Nenagh General Hospital, Nenagh, Tipperary, Ireland
  1. Correspondence to Dr Kenneth O'Riordan; kennethpatrickoriordan{at}gmail.com

Abstract

A 43-year-old man presented to hospital after routine laboratory tests showed an acute kidney injury and hypercalcaemia. He had no relevant medical history and normal physical examination, other than a 6-week history of lower back pain for which he had been taking naproxen. Low parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels indicated a PTH-independent hypercalcaemia. Investigations including CT of thorax, abdomen and pelvis and subsequent bone biopsy and renal biopsy were unremarkable. Positron emission tomography/CT (PET/CT) scan was ultimately considered as a diagnostic test and showed abnormalities in the right subpectoral and portacaval region with intense fluorodeoxyglucose F 18 uptake in local lymph nodes. A biopsy of the right subpectoral node showed granulomatous change consistent with sarcoidosis. PET/CT scanning can play an important role in the investigation of suspected malignancy, infection and inflammatory disease and in this case, was required to diagnose an atypical presentation of sarcoidosis.

  • calcium and bone
  • radiology
  • fluid electrolyte and acid-base disturbances

http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bcr-2020-237424

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    Footnotes

    • Contributors MM and TM made substantial contributions to the identification and conception of this case report. KO analysed the patient’s notes and relevant investigations and data. KO and MM drafted the report and revised it for final approval of the version. KO and MM are accountable for the accuracy and integrity of the final report.

    • Funding The authors have not declared a specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.

    • Competing interests None declared.

    • Patient consent for publication Obtained.

    • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.