[The concept, definition and diagnostic criteria of sarcoidosis]

At the 1960 Washington International Conference on Sarcoidosis, the "Definition of Sarcoidosis" was set up by H.L. Israel. This definition was revised at 1975 New York Conference, and again as "The 1991 Descriptive Definition of Sarcoidosis" at 1991 Kyoto Conference (Sarcoidosis, 9 Suppl 1:33, 1992). As the cause (s) of sarcoidosis was still unknown, the definition of the disease will be a descriptive one. The 1991 definition consists of age-distribution, organs involved, diagnosis, immunological and laboratory findings, course and prognosis, and treatment of the disease, and is length of 230 words. This definition includes recent advances in the research of sarcoidosis, but needs numbers of improvements about the ethnical difference or efficacy of steroid-treatment. Recently, the Japanese Research Committee for Diffuse Lung Diseases of the Japan Ministry of Welfare, proposed the diagnostic criteria for sarcoidosis, and guides for the diagnosis of occular and cardiac sarcoidosis. These criteria and guides are consisted of items, and are designed to get diagnosis by applying the items. In this manuscript, these criteria and guides will be discussed.