Other tests that the doctor uses to help diagnose sarcoidosis or follow the progress of the disease include bronchoalveolar lavage, biopsy, gallium screening, Kveim test, and slit-lamp examination. Fortunately, many patients with sarcoidosis require no treatment. When therapy is recommended, the main goal is to keep the lungs and other affected body organs working and to relieve symptoms. The disease is considered inactive once the symptoms fade. Corticosteroids remain the primary treatment for inflammation and granuloma formation.
Prednisone is probably the corticosteroid most often prescribed today.
There is no treatment at present to reverse the fibrosis that might be present in advanced sarcoidosis. Occasionally, a blood test will show a high blood level of calcium accompanying sarcoidosis. The reasons for this are not clear. Some scientists believe that this condition is not common. Because sarcoidosis can disappear even without therapy, doctors sometimes disagree on when to start the treatment, what dose to prescribe, and how long to continue the medicine.