Imuran (azathioprine) is a cytotoxic (cell-killing) compound approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and used to treat sarcoidosis in patients who are resistant to or cannot tolerate steroid treatments. Generic formulations of this treatment are available, and it is an alternative to methotrexate, which…

Löfgren syndrome is an acute but usually milder form of sarcoidosis, first described by the Swedish researcher Sven Löfgren in 1953. Like sarcoidosis, it is characterized by patches of inflammatory cells called granulomas in various organs and tissues. However, Löfgren syndrome patients usually do not develop long-term or…

The lungs are the organs most often affected by sarcoidosis, an inflammatory disease where the immune system mistakenly attacks the body’s own tissues and organs. In sarcoidosis, small clusters of inflammatory cells called granulomas accumulate in the lungs and elsewhere. In 20-30 percent of all cases, these granulomas can…

Mediastinoscopy is a minor, minimally invasive surgery that inspects the mediastinal area — the part of the chest cavity between the breastbone and the spinal column, just between the lungs. It is used to check for enlarged lymph nodes in the chest and determine their cause. Mediastinoscopy can…

Diseases affecting the lungs, such as sarcoidosis, impair a person’s ability to breathe well, lowering oxygen intake. Resulting low blood-oxygen levels often leads to a condition called hypoxemia. While not deadly, its symptoms are life-affecting, and include shortness of breath, headaches, and fatigue. Oxygen therapy uses compressed oxygen,…

Sarcoidosis is a disease in which the immune system mistakenly attacks the body’s own cells and tissues. It is characterized by the presence of immune cell clusters, called granulomas, forming in various organs and tissues. This disease can be of limited duration and go away on its own,…

Sarcoidosis is an inflammatory disease marked by the formation of small clusters of inflammatory cells, called granulomas. In long-term or chronic cases, these granulomas can build in organs and tissues, causing damage and a wide range of symptoms of varying intensity. Diagnosis can be difficult, as…

Sarcoidosis is characterized by clumps of inflamed immune cells called granulomas. When these granumolas accumulate in certain organs or tissues, they can cause damage and affect the function of that particular organ or tissue. One of the most common organs affected by sarcoidosis is the lungs, in which case…

Sarcoidosis is a disease in which tiny clumps of inflammatory cells known as granulomas form in different tissues in the body. The lungs, lymph nodes, skin, and eyes are the organs most commonly affected.  When sarcoidosis affects the lungs, it leads to symptoms such as…

Sarcoidosis is a rare inflammatory disease that may affect any part of the body. The condition is associated with clumps of immune cells, called granulomas, forming in the organs, disrupting their normal function and potentially causing permanent damage. The most commonly affected organ is the lungs, with…