Evaluation of peripheral lymphadenopathy by fine needle aspiration cytology: Our experience at a tertiary care center

Abstract

Peripheral lymphadenopathy is frequently due to a local or systemic benign infectious disease. However, it could be a manifestation of underlying malignancy. Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) acting as a reliable diagnostic tool to find out the cause underlying the lymphadenopathy enables the clinician to plan appropriate management for each patient.The present study was undertaken to assess the utility of FNAC in evaluation of peripheral lymphadenopathy cases in different age groups and sex and to study the cytomorphological patterns in these cases.A retrospective and prospective observational study was conducted in the Department of Pathology, Hind Institute of Medical Sciences over the duration of 2 years. A total of 331 lymph node FNA aspirates were studied. Aspirated material was routinely stained with Haematoxylin & Eosin and Papanicolauo stains. Ziehl Neelsen stain was used wherever required.Most of the patients were in the age group of ≤15 years (117/331). Cervical lymphnodes were the most commonly involved sites (222/331). The largest group of lesions belonged to the non-neoplastic category (227/331). Only 54/331 cases were in the neoplastic category. Amongst the non-neoplastic lesions, granulomatous lymphadenitis comprised the majority (128/277). Amongst the neoplastic lesions, 8 cases showed features of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL); where as 3 cases were of Hodgkin’s lymphoma (HL). Non-neoplastic lesions were more common in the younger age group (117/257); where as neoplastic lesions were more common in the older age group (27/54).FNAC is a reliable method of diagnosing the pathology underlying enlarged superficial lymph nodes; thus acting as a triage to distinguish the cases with a suspicion of significant disease. At the same time, it also provides material for ancillary studies especially in lymphoproliferative lesions.