[The diagnostic algorithm of practice in pulmonary and extrapulmonary sarcoidosis].

Sarcoidosis (SA) is a granulomatous multisystem disease of unknown ethiology. Pulmonary, lymphadenopathy, liver, spleen, skin, and bone sarcoidosis are more frequent but also SA of the heart, central nervous system, eye, and hypercalcemia with following kidney failure also occur. Sarcoidosis may co-exist with extrapulmonary forms, which may overtake or precede each other. SA may occur as acute or chronic with the possibility of complete remission in the early stages of disease. Due to frequent occurrence of asymptomatic SA in threatening vital organs a diagnostic algorithm of practice in pulmonary and extrapulmonary sarcoidosis has been proposed by the author of the article. Diagnosis of SA is based on a correlation of clinical, radiological and histopathological pictures with the presence of non-caseating granuloma in material from the biopsy from at least one organ and having excluded tuberculosis. In all forms of SA, USG abdomen, ECG, ECHO heart, blood tests (blood count, calcium, creatinine, transaminases), level of calcium in a 24-hour urine samples, ophtalmoscopic examinations and lung function tests in pulmonary sarcoidosis should be undertaken to avoid overlooking any form of SA, especially in threatened vital organs. For this purpose, the multidisciplinary team providing an adequate care to the patient with SA has been created by the author of the article has been created by the author of the article in the University Clinical Center in Gdansk providing comprehensive care to patients with sarcoidosis.