Sarcoidosi asintomatica del sistema nervoso centrale: Descrizione di un caso

Sarcoidosis is a chronic granulomatous inflammatory disease that tends to disseminate. Its etiology is unknown and cerebral localization is seldom reported. We describe a case of neurosarcoidosis in which clinical history was absolutely aspecific and not diagnostic. A 62-year-old-woman, presenting with sudden cardiovascular shock was admitted in this hospital. She died after quick ventricular fibrillation. She had not previous history of significant diseases. Histological findings at necropsy were of multiple sarcoid granulomas in central nervous system, common and specific myocardium, lymphonodes, lungs, spleen, liver and kidneys. Cerebral findings showed sarcoid granulomatous tissue in leptomeninges, frontal and parietal lobe, bulb, optic chiasma, neurohypophysis, cerebellum and cervical spinal cord. The histological diagnosis was of diffuse sarcoidosis with widespread involvement of brain and heart. The sarcoid granulomas in the central nervous system and in the heart may explain the sudden and unexpected death of this patient.