Sarcoidosis
Sarcoidosis, also known as sarcoid, is a disease that most commonly affects the lungs, but can affect any organ in the body, including the:
- brain
- eyes
- heart
- joints
- kidneys
- liver
- muscles
- skin
When tissue from a person with sarcoid is viewed under a microscope, tiny nodules — called “granulomas” — are seen.
Symptoms of sarcoid
People affected by sarcoid in the lungs may experience:
- coughing
- difficulty exercising
- shortness of breath
While there is no known cause for sarcoid, the University of Pittsburgh Simmons Center for Interstitial Lung Disease at UPMC is one of the largest centers in the world for management of the disease.
Our patients participate in a wide array of clinical research studies, such as trials of experimental medicines. Based on our research, we aim to better understand the causes of sarcoid and devise a new generation of treatments.
Return to the UPMC Comprehensive Lung Center homepage.