الفهرس 
INTRODUCTIONOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
Sarcoidosis remains a challenge due to its idiopathic nature and variable clinical presentations. Its diagnostic complexity is due to the lack of a single definitive test and the necessitating combination of clinical, radiological, and histopathological assessments after the exclusion of the other possible etiologies. The presence of peripheral lymphadenopathy namely cervical lymphadenopathy is a merit that allows a less invasive method of diagnosis compared to other methods, but the exact prevalence of cervical lymphadenopathy and its diagnostic value are still under study.
The aim of the study is to assess the prevalence of cervical lymphadenopathy in patients with suspected sarcoidosis who are referred for diagnostic procedures and to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of cervical lymph nodes using ultrasound-guided core needle biopsies in patients with sarcoidosis as a potential less-invasive tool in the diagnosis.
In this prospective study, we included 40 patients aged above 15 years old who had clinical and radiological features suggestive of sarcoidosis, and where referred for diagnosis. Following informed consent, all patients underwent ultrasound assessment of cervical lymph nodes. In the presence of cervical lymphadenopathy detailed sonographic features were recorded. Subsequently, patients with lymphadenopathy underwent US-guided core needle biopsies. Those without cervical lymphadenopathy were referred to the most suitable diagnostic modality for biopsy based on the affected organ.
All enrolled participants must be verified by the diagnosis of sarcoidosis through detailed clinical evaluation, radiological findings, histopathological confirmation of non-caseating granuloma, and the exclusion of alternative etiologies. Furthermore, cases are required to be approved multidisciplinary team at the university hospital. On the other hand, patients diagnosed with a disease other than sarcoidosis were excluded from the study. This firm inclusion criterion upholds the methodological integrity of the study.
The results showed that among the 40 enrolled patients with sarcoidosis, demographic analysis revealed a d