Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 30, 2026
08:32
Isolating Malignant and Non-Malignant B Cells from lck:eGFP Zebrafish
Published on: February 22, 2019
7.5K
Primary isolated hepatosplenic sarcoidosis mimicking malignancy and causing symptomatic hypercalcaemia
Tarek Haykal1, Saira Sundus1, Ghassan Bachuwa1
1Hurley Medical Center, Flint, Michigan, USA.
BMJ Case Reports
|January 25, 2019
Summary
A 67-year-old woman with a history of cancer developed severe fatigue and hypercalcemia. Doctors initially suspected malignancy, but a biopsy revealed liver and spleen sarcoidosis.
Area of Science:
- Internal Medicine
- Oncology
- Rheumatology
Background:
- A 67-year-old woman with a history of papillary thyroid cancer, status post-thyroidectomy and radioactive iodine treatment, presented with severe weakness and fatigue.
- Her medical history included multiple comorbidities, and she was in remission for one year.
Observation:
- Initial workup revealed significant hypercalcemia and suppressed parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels.
- Imaging (CT scan of chest, abdomen, and pelvis) demonstrated multiple liver and splenic nodular lesions, raising concern for malignancy.
- The patient experienced symptomatic improvement with hydration and pamidronate treatment.
Findings:
- A biopsy of a splenic lesion confirmed the diagnosis of sarcoidosis.
- The patient was diagnosed with primary isolated nodular hepatosplenic sarcoidosis.
Implications:
- This case highlights sarcoidosis as a rare cause of symptomatic hypercalcemia that can mimic malignancy.
- Accurate diagnosis is crucial for appropriate management and avoiding unnecessary oncological interventions.
- Hepatosphenic sarcoidosis can present with nonspecific symptoms, necessitating a broad differential diagnosis.
Related Concept Videos
01:47Primary Active Transport
198.3K
In contrast to passive transport, active transport involves a substance being moved through membranes in a direction against its concentration or electrochemical gradient. There are two types of active transport: primary active transport and secondary active transport. Primary active transport utilizes chemical energy from ATP to drive protein pumps that are embedded in the cell membrane. With energy from ATP, the pumps transport ions against their electrochemical gradients—a direction...
198.3K
01:29Primary Active Transport
14.2K
In contrast to passive transport, active transport involves a substance being moved through membranes in a direction against its concentration or electrochemical gradient. There are two types of active transport: primary active transport and secondary active transport. Primary active transport utilizes chemical energy from ATP to drive protein pumps embedded in the cell membrane. With energy from ATP, the pumps transport ions against their electrochemical gradients—a direction they would...
14.2K
03:02Primary and Secondary Growth in Roots and Shoots
60.5K
Vascular plants, which account for over 90% of the Earth’s vegetation, all undergo primary growth—which lengthens roots and shoots. Many land plants, notably woody plants, also undergo secondary growth—which thickens roots and shoots.
60.5K
01:06Primary Production
25.2K
The total amount of energy acquired by primary producers in an ecosystem is called gross primary production (GPP). However, of this energy, producers use some for metabolic processes, and some is lost as heat, decreasing the amount of energy available to the next trophic level. The remaining usable amount of energy is called the net primary productivity (NPP). In terrestrial ecosystems, NPP is driven by climate, while light penetration and nutrient availability drive NPP in aquatic ecosystems.
25.2K
01:28Primary Distribution
545
Primary distribution systems deliver electrical power from substations to consumers through various voltage classes, with 15-kV class voltages being predominant among U.S. utilities. Older 2.5- and 5-kV classes are being replaced by 15-kV primaries, while higher 25- to 34.5-kV classes are used in high-density urban areas and rural regions with long feeders. Three-phase, four-wire multigrounded systems are widely employed for balanced power delivery, using the neutral wire as a grounding point.
545
01:17Nomenclature of Primary Amines
4.5K
Primary, secondary, and tertiary amines are compounds consisting of one, two, and three alkyl groups connected to the amino group (–NH2), respectively. As depicted in Figure 1, the common name of the primary amines is obtained by adding the suffix -amine to the alkyl substituent attached to the amino group as the corresponding alkylamine.
4.5K