Value of fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) in the diagnosis of Tubercular lymphadenitis: a study in a tertiary care hospital of Assam, India.

Tuberculosis is a major health problem in developing countries. The aim of this study was to evaluate the importance of Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology (FNAC) in the diagnosis of Tubercular lymphadenitis. The present study was carried out in Gauhati Medical College and Hospital, Guwahati, Assam, India during the period from January 2014 to December 2014. Cytological examination of Fine Needle Aspiration smears of 226 cases were studied from the patients complaining of lump in the cervical region of the neck and out of these cases, Acid Fast Bacilli (AFB) stain were also carried out on a total of 160 cases. Fine needle aspiration samples were stained with May Grunwald and Giemsa stain and their cytological diagnosis established. Fine Needle Aspiration samples were also stained with Ziehl Neelsen Stain for Acid Fast Bacilli (AFB). Age group of the patients varied from 1-70 years. We correlated our Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology (FNAC) findings with Acid Fast Bacilli (AFB) stain and Histopathology. The sensitivity was found to be 91.17% and specificity was found to be 73.04%.