Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-m6dg7 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-04T18:31:31.420Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Efficacy of fine needle aspiration cytology in the diagnosis of tuberculous cervical lymphadenopathy

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 June 2007

S. K. Lau*
Affiliation:
Department of Surgery, University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong.
W. I. Wei
Affiliation:
Department of Surgery, University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong.
C. Hsu
Affiliation:
Department of Pathology, University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong.
U. C. G. Engzell
Affiliation:
Department of Surgery, University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong.
*
Dr Sai-Kit Lau, Department of Surgery, University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong.

Abstract

The results of a consecutive series of 1,349 fine needle aspiration (FNA) biopsies from the head and neck region of 1,193 patients has been reviewed in order to evaluate the efficacy of this method in the diagnosis of tuberculous lymphadenopathy (TBLN). Of the 108 patients whose fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) showed granulomatous changes, 68 had subsequent surgery and histological confirmation of the cytological appearance. Sixty-three had TBLN, thus the specificity of FNAC was 93 per cent in diagnosing tuberculous related granulomatous lymphadenopathy. One false positive FNAC was reported histologically to be metastatic mucoepidermal carcinoma.

Of the 1,193 patients, 90 patients had subsequently TBLN confirmed histologically. Of these 90 patients, FNA from 69 showed granulomatous changes or acid fast bacilli (AFB), thus the sensitivity of FNAC in detecting tuberculous lymphadenopathy was 77 per cent. Fifty-two cytological smears were stained for acid fast bacilli. Nineteen (37 per cent) contained AFB. It is evident from this review that FNAC is an efficient way to detect cervical tuberculous lymphadenopathy.

Type
Main Articles
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 1990

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Alessi, D. P. and Dudley., J. P. (1988). Atypical mycobacteria—induced cervical adenitis. Treatment by needle aspiration. Archives of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, 114: 664666.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bailey, T. M., Akhtar, M. and Ashraf, Ali M. (1985). Fine needle aspiration biopsy in the diagnosis of tuberculosis. Acta Cytologica, 29(5): 732736.Google ScholarPubMed
Bloch, M. (1967). Comparative study of lymph node cytology by puncture and histopathology. Acta Cytologica, 2: 139144.Google Scholar
Campbell, I. A. and Dyson, A. J. (1977). Lymph node tuberculosis: A comparison of various methods of treatment. Tubercle, 58: 171–19.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Engzell, U., Jakobsson, P. A., Sigurdson, A. and Zajicck, J. (1971). Aspiration biopsy of metastatic carcinoma in lymph nodes of the neck. A review of 1,101 consecutive cases. Acta Oto-Larvngologica, 72: 138147.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Farer, L. S., Lowell, A. M. and Meador, M. P. (1979). Extrapulmonary tuberculosis in the United States. American Journal of Epidemiology, 109: 205217.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Frable, M. A. S. and Frable, W. J. (1984). Fine needle aspiration biopsy: Efficacy in the diagnosis of head and neck sarcoidosis. Laryngoscope, 94: 12811283.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Krishnaswami, H., Koshi, G., Kulkarni, G. and Job, C. K. (1972). Tuberculous lymphadenitis in South India—A histological and bacteriological study. Tubercle, 53: 215220.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lucas, P. F. (1955). Lymph node smears in the diagnosis of lymphadenopathy: A review. Blood, 10: 10301054.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Metre, M. S. and jayaram, G. (1987). Acid fast bacilli in aspiration smear from tuberculous lymph nodes: An analysis of 255 cases. Acta Cytologica, 31: 1719.Google ScholarPubMed
Patra, A. K., Nanda, B. K., Mohapatra, B. K. and Panda, A. K. (1983). Diagnosis of lymphadenopathy by fine needle aspiration cytology. Indian Journal of Pathology and Microbiology, 26: 273278.Google ScholarPubMed
Rajwanshi, A., Bhambhani, S., Das, D. K. (1987). Fine needle aspiration cytology diagnosis of tuberculosis. Diagnostic cytopathology, 3(1): 1316.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Siu, K. F., Ng, A. and Wong, J. (1983). Tuberculous lymphadenopathy: A review of results of surgical treatment. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Surgery, 53: 253257.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Zajicek, J. (1974). In: Monograph in Clinical Cytology. Vol. 4. Aspiration biopsy cytology, Part I. Cytology of supradiaphragmatic organs. (George, L. Wied, eds) Chapter 4, pp. 90125. S. Karger, A. G. Basel.Google Scholar