[A case of systemic sarcoidosis diagnosed initially by tonsillar biopsy, with discontinuous nodules in a straight line in the subcutaneous tissue of the upper arm].

A 31-year-old woman was admitted due to swollen cervical lymph nodes and swollen tonsils. These did not respond to treatment by antibiotics, and histological findings of epithelioid cell granulomas were obtained by tonsillar biopsy. After corticosteroid therapy in the subcutaneous tissue of the upper arm 5 nodules were found discontinuously in a straight line. A biopsy of one of these nodules revealed non-caseous epithelioid cell granuloma with Langhans giant cells in the superficial lymph nodes. Her older brother was strongly suspected to have neurogenic sarcoidosis. Familial sarcoidosis was considered related to this case.