Multisystemic Sarcoidosis Presenting with Widespread Vertebral Osseous and Visceral Lesions Masquerading As Metastatic Disease: A Case Report and Literature Review

BACKGROUND Sarcoidosis is a systemic granulomatous disease which predominantly affects the lungs, skin, and lymph nodes. Vertebral sarcoidosis is a rare entity. The clinical presentation of sarcoidosis with diffuse vertebral osseous and visceral lesions, simulating a disseminated metastatic cancer, is extremely unusual and has been reported only in a handful of cases in the current literature. CASE REPORT A 78-year-old White female patient with a remote history of asymptomatic pulmonary sarcoidosis presented with a 1-month history of generalized weakness. Physical examination was positive for upper and lower midline spinal tenderness. Laboratory findings showed anemia, hypercalcemia, and deranged liver functions. Abdominal imaging revealed an enlarged and nodular liver, ascites, splenomegaly, and enlarged retroperitoneal lymph nodes. Spinal imaging demonstrated several multi-level vertebral osseous lesions suspicious for metastatic bone cancer. Following extensive diagnostic work-up to rule out underlying metastatic cancers, a bone biopsy from an iliac lesion demonstrated active non-caseating granulomas, and a diagnosis of multisystemic sarcoidosis was made. The patient was started on systemic corticosteroids and demonstrated a gradual symptomatic improvement. Follow-up imaging revealed interval resolution of vertebral lesions. CONCLUSIONS The clinical and radiological features of vertebral sarcoidosis can be indistinguishable from metastatic bone cancers. The possibility of widespread extrapulmonary sarcoidosis should be considered in any patients with a remote history of pulmonary sarcoidosis who experience simultaneous onset of unexplained multisystemic symptoms.