Unusual cause of generalized osteolytic vertebral lesions: a case report

Vertebral sarcoidosis is an extremely rare form of osseous sarcoidosis. Although osseous sarcoidosis is almost always an incidental finding of sarcoidosis elsewhere in the body, vertebrae may be the primary disease site. Involvement of vertebrae is usually localized and sclerotic or lytic.

We describe a case of extensive asymptomatic vertebral involvement by sarcoid with osteolytic lesions. Making the diagnosis requires biopsy and ruling out other commoner causes of osteolytic vertebral lesions.

We report this case in the hope of expanding the knowledge of osseous sarcoidosis. Our patient was unique in that all involvement was axial with sparing of the peripheral skeleton, near absence of any other organ involvement, diffuse involvement of the whole spine and osteolytic bone lesions.