PROLONGED COURSE OF ILLNESS IN A CHILD WITH MALIGNANT-LYMPHOMA MIMICKING SARCOIDOSIS

We describe a case of malignant lymphoma mimicking the rheumatic prese ntation of sarcoidosis in an adolescent with a 3-year history of febri le illness. Final diagnosis was established by tissue biopsy after mul tiple studies failed to provide histological evidence of granulomas co nsistent with sarcoidosis. We discuss the limited diagnostic specifici ty of serum angiotensin converting enzyme in sarcoidosis and emphasize the need for aggressive diagnostic evaluation of a patient whose clin ical presentation is not fully explained by a known rheumatologic illn ess.