Cardiac sarcoidosis: infiltrating under cover

This article describes a case of a heart explanted at transplantation for a clinical diagnosis of dilated cardiomyopathy associated with heart block. Pathological examination of the heart demonstrated non-necrotising granulomas with replacement fibrosis, consistent with sarcoidosis. Cardiac involvement in sarcoidosis may cause chronic cardiac failure, arrhythmia, or sudden cardiac death, and may occur in patients without clinical involvement of other organ systems. Most cases of cardiac sarcoidosis treated by heart transplantation are unsuspected until the explanted heart is examined, with most cases thought to be dilated cardiomyopathy on clinical grounds.
Source: Diagnostic Histopathology - Category: Pathology Authors: Tags: Short case Source Type: research