Comparative Merits of Different Tissue Biopsies in the Diagnosis of Sarcoidosis: Indian Perspective

In sarcoidosis, diagnosis rests on positive tissue biopsy in association with suggestive clinical features. In absence of guidelines in India, multiple biopsies (494 in total) were undertaken from 170 suspected and later proven cases of sarcoidosis. Involved tissues, Kveim test site, right scalene node, palpable peripheral lymph nodes and open pulmonary biopsy gave 80-100% positive result. (Perbronchial lung biopsy proved positive in India by other workers.) Mantoux test site, a rather unusual tissue, even if negative at 72 hours, may show positive granuloma in 64.5% cases with active sarcoidosis. Positive liver biopsy has only corroborative importance.