NECROTIZING SARCOID GRANULOMATOSIS WITH AND WITHOUT EXTRAPULMONARY INVOLVEMENT

Three cases of necrotizing sarcoid granulomatosis (NSG) are reported. All 3 patients had pulmonary lesions; one of them had additional extra pulmonary lesions which were ophthalmologic (dacryoadenitis) and diges tive (ulcerative colitis). This patient was followed for 5 years and d eveloped several respiratory, ophthalmologic and digestive recurrences . In 2 cases the diagnosis of NSG had been initially overlooked and th e authors emphasize the difficulties of this histologic diagnosis in t erms of the differential diagnosis with other necrotic and granulomato us pulmonary diseases such as tuberculosis and Wegener's granulomatosi s. They stress the possibility of extrapulmonary lesions in NSG and di scuss the relationship between NSG and sarcoidosis.