FINE NEEDLE ASPIRATION CYTOLOGY

EVALUATION IN THE DIAGNOSIS OF LYMPHADENOPATHY IN CHILDREN

Abstract

Introduction: Lymph nodes are frequently enlarged in children in a wide
spectrum of diseases, some are of great concern while others are trivial from clinical or diagnostic point of view.
Objectives: To evaluate the diagnostic role of fine needle aspiration cytology in lymphadenopathy in pediatric age
group. Period: Jan 2001 to Aug 2005. Material & Methods: The material was obtained by FNA from children of the
region, stained with H & E, Papaniculau, giemsa and Z.N Stain. History, physical examination and other pertinent
clinicopathological parameters were noted before the FNA procedure. The biopsy material where available was
subsequently correlated with FNA diagnosis. Results: A total number of 120 cases were included in the study. Out of
these 64 were females and 56 were males. Out of non malignant cases the most common diagnosis in our cases was
reactive lymphadenitis. Conclusions: Fine needle aspiration cytology is a reliable easy and economic technique of
diagnosis. It should particularly be adopted in children to avoid unnecessary step of surgery and mental trauma as fairly
accurate cytodiagnosis is possible especially when majority of the cases of lymphadenopathy are inflammatory in
nature.