[Comparative characteristics of granulomatous inflammation in sarcoidosis and tuberculosis]

Comparisons are given of clinical manifestations and pathomorphological changes in lymph nodes and lungs of 76 patients with sarcoidosis and 48 patients with tuberculosis. Two types of tissue reactions were shown: with minimal and marked fibrosis. The former type is characterized by high density of granulomatosis and low density of fibrosis, large granulomas which contained many giant cells. The latter type is characterized by advanced fibrosis, small granulomas with rare giant cells. For clinically marked sarcoidosis, tissue reaction with predominant granulomatosis is typical, for patients with scare symptoms--tissue reaction with evident fibrosis. In the absence of caseous necrosis, differential diagnosis between tuberculosis and sarcoidosis with prevalent granulomatosis is impossible by morphological picture and morphometric evidence.