Doctors diagnose sarcoidosis by listening to you explain your symptoms, examining you, doing tests and ruling out other disease that cause similar symptoms.
Sarcoidosis is hard to diagnose for two reasons:
- Symptoms of sarcoidosis are similar to other diseases.
- There is not one definitive medical test for sarcoidosis. Doctors must give many tests before they can diagnosis sarcoidosis.
Tests That Help Diagnose Sarcoidosis
Your doctor will order tests to understand your symptoms and to see which organs are affected. Some common tests are:
- Spirometry- a simple breathing test that measures how much and how fast you can move air out of your lungs.
- X-rays – to check if there are granulomas or other changes in your lungs.
- CT scan – an imaging test that takes a picture of your lungs, brain, or other areas of your body to check for changes.
- Electrocardiograph (ECG) and 24 hour tape (Holter moniter) – tests that record the electrical activity of your heart to see if it is working properly.
- Ultrasound scan of different areas of your body such as liver or spleen.
- Blood tests – to check if your liver and kidneys are working properly, and to see if there are changes in your blood.
