Naqvi S Q H, Memon R A, Memon G A, Dahri F J, Akhund A A.
Role of fine needle aspiration cytology in children with peripheral lymphadenopathy.
J Surg Pak Jan ;11(3):110-2.

Objective : To find out the accuracy and role of fine needle aspiration cytology in children with peripheral lymphadenopathy. Design : Descriptive study Place : Department of pathology, Peoples Medical College Nawabshah. Duration of Study: January 2002 to December 2004. Subjects & Methods: A total number of 158 children were included in the study having age up to 12 years with history of peripheral lymphadenopathy. Fine needle aspiration cytology was performed with 22 gauge needle attached with 10 ml syringe and without using any local anesthetic. Confirmation of the diagnosis by subsequent surgical biopsy or by a clinical follow up period, for at least six months was done. Results : One hundred seventy nine aspirates were obtained from 158 patients. The cytological diagnosis was reactive change in 78 (43.6%), tuberculosis in 43 (24.0%), 27 (15.1%) suppurative inflammation, 15 (8.3%), non Hodgkin`s lymphoma, 05 (2.8%) Hodgkin`s lymphoma, 03 (1.7%) leukemic infiltrations, 02 (1.1%) cytological diagnoses uncertain and in cases 06 (3.4%) material was inadequate. Six cytological diagnosis were false negative and one was false positive. The overall accuracy was 96%. Conclusions: Fine needle aspiration cytology is an initial important diagnostic tool in children having peripheral lymphadenopathy, especially in those rural areas where the surgical facilities are not available. It is a safe, rapid simple and accurate with low morbidity and only the doubtful cases may go for surgical biopsy

PakMediNet -Pakistan's largest Database of Pakistani Medical Journals - http://www.pakmedinet.com