Value of liver biopsy in sarcoidosis

A study of liver biopsy specimens was done for 28 patients with sarcoidosis. Epithelioid cell granulomas were found in 22 cases. Among the patients with granulomas, 13 had had fever and/or arthralgia; no such symptoms were observed among the patients who did not have granulomas. We believe that these symptoms constitute a good indication for performing a liver biopsy. Measurement of the concentration of the granulomas in the liver tissue suggests that the probability of false-negative results is very remote, making repetition of the biopsy unnecessary. The nonspecific lesions found in the liver progress to epithelioid cell granulomas in a similar way to that found within pulmonary alveoli.