Cytological Findings of Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology in Diagnosing Causes of Cervical Lymphadenopathy in Patients Attending Health Care Facilities of Janakpur, Nepal

Abstract

Background & Objectives: Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology (FNAC) is a minimally invasive and inexpensive procedure that produces a rapid result. As cervical lymphadenopathies are common clinical findings with varied causes, FNAC may have an extremely important role in the diagnosis of various underlying clinical condition. Materials and Methods: A prospective multicentric study was conducted from September 2021 to June 2023 at Janakpur, Nepal. A total of 60 cases were included in the study. The procedure was performed in the cervical lymph node with a 10 ml syringe and 23 gauze needle. The obtained material was spread on the slides and stained with leishman stain and Papanicoloau (PAP) stain. Acid Fast Bacilli (AFB) stain was done for suspected cases of M. tuberculosis infection. Results: The diagnosis based on FNAC procedure were categorized as reactive lymphadenitis (21 cases, 35%), tuberculous lymphadenitis (14 cases, 23.33%), granulomatous lymphadenitis (8 cases, 13.33%), suppurative lymphadentitis (7 cases, 11.66%) and positive for malignancy (3 cases, 5%). The most common diagnosis in the current study of cervical lymphadenopathy was reactive lymphadenitis followed by tuberculous lymphadenitis. Conclusion: FNAC is a quick and reliable method to find the cause of cervical lymphadenopathy allowing appropriate diagnosis, timely management and further investigation if needed.