Muhammad Saqib Saeed, Muhammad Khalid Ch.
Fine needle aspiration in the diagnosis of Tuberculous Lymphadenitis in a developing country.
Pak J Chest Med Jan ;8(2):15-8.

Fine needle aspiration biopsy is a valuable technique in the diagnosis of tuberculous lymphadenitis because it is accurate and cost effective. A total of 83 cases of clinically suspected tuberculous cervical lymphadenitis were studied in the Institute of Chest Medicine King Edward Medical College/Mayo Hospital Lahore, Pakistan by the fine needle aspiration biopsy during the year 2001. Amongst 83 patients 60 were male and 23 were females having mean age of 32.4years. Fifty-nine cases were of rural background while the rest were from urban population. Diagnosis compatible with tuberculous lymphadenitis was established in 67 (80.7%) cases. Caseous necrosis (77%) and Epithelioid cell granulomas (73.8%) were the most characteristic findings in the aspirated specimens. Acid fast bacilli were seen by Ziehl Nielson staining in 30 (36.5%) cases. Undifferentiated malignancy was seen in only 2 cases, which latter on proved to be adenocarinomas on excision biopsy of the involved lymph nodes. Non specific inflammation / reactive hyperplasia was documented in 7(8.4%) cases, while remaining 7(8.4%) cases remained undiagnosed due to inadequate samples. As the diagnostic accuracy by fine needle aspiration biopsy is significant (p<.001), it is concluded that fine needle aspiration biopsy is a valuable, safe and cost effecitive technique for the diagnosis of tuberculous lymphadenitis in a developing country.

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