We present three young African-American patients in whom magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed dural based masses that were initially thought to represent meningiomas. Two patients underwent surgery and the diagnosis of sarcoidosis was made. The third patient underwent a trial of steroids with considerable improvement of her symptoms. We suggest that sarcoidosis should always be considered in the differential diagnosis of dural-based masses which have MRI characteristics similar to those of meningiomas. The possibility of sarcoidosis should lead to appropriate laboratory tests and therapy.