Neurosarcoidosis: a Rare Case of Sarcoidosis of the Cervical Spinal Cord –⁠ Case Report

Czech version

Authors: E. Kantorová ¹; E. Kurča ¹; J. De Riggo ²; J. Šutovský ²; J. Michalik ¹; V. Nosáľ ¹; E. Rozborilová ³; J. Hamžík ⁴; M. Hladká ⁵; J. Plank ⁶
Authors‘ workplace: Neurologická klinika JLF UK a MFN ¹; Neurochirurgické oddelenie MFN ²; Klinika tuberkulózy a pľúcnych chorôb JLF UK a MFN ³; Chirurgická klinika JLF UK a MFN ⁴; Rádiodiagnostická klinika JLF UK a MFN ⁵; Ústav patologickej anatómie JLF UK a MFN ⁶
Published in: Cesk Slov Neurol N 2008; 71/104(5): 588-591
Category: Case Report

Overview

Sarcoidosis is a granulomatous disease whose aetiology is not precisely known. It most often affects the lungs and the lymph nodes, less frequently the eye, bone marrow, the central and peripheral nervous system, the kidneys, the liver, the heart and muscles. In terms of pathomorphology, it comprises a deposit of lymphocytes and mononuclear phagocyte cells surrounding the noncaseating epithelioid cells of the granulomas. The nervous system is damaged in 5–15% of cases of sarcoidosis. Sarcoidosis of the cervical spinal cord is rare and, according to the available data, accounts for 0.3–0.4% of cases. Establishing a diagnosis of neurosarcoidosis is not usually straightforward. The disease responds well to steroids, which may be used in combination with other immunosuppressive medicines. There is a favourable prognosis for survival but the resulting neurological condition depends on the location and size of the scar after the removal of the granulomatous inflammation. In this article the authors describe the case history of a patient with a probable to certain diagnosis of neurosarcoidosis of the cervical spinal cord.

Key words:
granulomatous disorders –⁠ sarcoidosis –⁠ medullar localisation of sarcoidosis

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