Neurosarcoidosis
Overview
Neurosarcoidosis refers to nervous system involvement by sarcoidosis, which is an inflammatory disease that can affect multiple different organs. Sarcoidosis mostly affect lungs and lymph nodes, however It is not uncommon to have neurological involvement. Occasionally neurosarcoidosis is simply called as “neurosarcoid”.
At the Clinic for Neurosarcoidosis at Texas Medical Center in Houston, Texas we are committed to improve the lives of our patients. As a tertiary care referral center, our clinic offers diagnosis and evidence-based management of neurosarcoidosis.
Symptoms
Clinical presentation can vary depending on the area affected of nervous system. Symptoms from brain, spinal cord and cranial nerve involvement may include confusion, disorientation, gait instability, numbness, weakness, hearing loss, dizziness, vertigo, visual disturbance, headache and loss of sense of smell.
Symptoms from peripheral nervous system involvement may include weakness, numbness, tingling and gait imbalance.
Diagnosis
This includes detailed medical history, neurological exam, laboratory tests and imaging. Test may include magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan of the brain and spinal cord and lumbar puncture, also known as spinal tap. Chest x-ray or CT scan may be ordered to assess for any involvement of the lungs.
Management
There is no cure for this condition, however, medications can prevent or decrease further relapses, and help with symptoms.
Some of these medications may have adverse effects, and management requires close collaboration with an experience neurologists and other physicians.
Meet our physicians
The Clinics for neurosarcoidosis spearheaded by neuroimmunologists Dr. Rajesh Gupta and Dr. John Lincoln.
Dr. Gupta serves as the director of the Clinic of Neurosarcoidosis and is an active member of the World Association of Sarcoidosis and Other Granulomatous disease ( WASOG). He has expertise in diagnosing and management of both central and peripheral manifestations of sarcoidosis and other inflammatory disorders.
Dr. Lincoln is an experienced neuroimmunologist with expertise in diagnosis and treatment of neurosarcoidosis and other neuroinflammatory disease involving central nervous system.