Sarcoidosis presenting as metastatic bony disease. A case report and review of the literature on vertebral body sarcoidosis.

Although asymptomatic lytic bony lesions of the phalanges of the hands and feet are not uncommon in patients with sarcoidosis, involvement of the vertebral bodies is rare. Because these lesions can mimic other diseases of the bones on radionuclide scans and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), this case emphasizes the importance of obtaining tissue and excluding malignancy and infection before the diagnosis can be established with confidence Copyright 2004 S. Karger AG, Basel