A Japanese case of vertebral sarcoidosis

Intern Med. 2013;52(24):2825-9. doi: 10.2169/internalmedicine.52.0074.

Abstract

We herein report the first Japanese case of vertebral sarcoidosis diagnosed using multiple imaging modalities and a biopsy. CT, MRI and (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (18F-FDG PET) detected multiple vertebral lesions, and a vertebral biopsy guided by the PET findings confirmed the diagnosis of vertebral sarcoidosis. Although the disease was refractory to corticosteroids, treatment with methotrexate (MTX) achieved a good response. Our case suggests that MRI and 18F-FDG PET are useful for determining the site for a biopsy and that MTX is effective for treating vertebral sarcoidosis.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Asian People*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Lumbar Vertebrae / pathology*
  • Sarcoidosis / diagnosis*