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Sarcoidosis
What Is It?
Sarcoidosis is an illness that causes tiny islands of inflammatory cells to form throughout the body. These microscopic groups of cells are called granulomas. They are especially common in the lungs, lymph nodes, skin, eyes and liver. The cause of sarcoidosis is unknown.
Sometimes, these granulomas cause very little damage, so a person with sarcoidosis does not have any symptoms of illness and may not even know they have it. In other cases, however, the granulomas produce large areas of inflammation and scarring that can interfere with an organ's normal functions. Although most people with sarcoidosis eventually recover, a few develop forms of the illness that are long-lasting (chronic) and get worse with time.
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