Aspiration biopsy of nodular sarcoidosis of the muscle

The nodular form of muscular sarcoidosis is rare and the condition is often confused with a soft tissue neoplasm. We present a case of nodular muscular sarcoidosis of the right calf in a 52‐yr‐old woman which was diagnosed by thin‐needle aspiration biopsy (TNAB). In this patient, a calf mass was the initial manifestation of sarcoidosis. Contrast‐enhanced computed tomographic scans of the calf showed a mass with peripheral ring‐like enhancement. T2‐weighted magnetic resonance images demonstrated a mass with central hypointensity and marked peripheral hyperintensity. TNAB revealed noncaseating epithelioid cell granulomas in association with multinucleated giant cells. Combined with the radiologic findings, TNAB is considered a useful modality for the diagnosis of nodular muscular sarcoidosis. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2002;26:109–112; DOI 10.1002/dc.10055 © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.