Cervical lymphadenopathy–a clinicopathological review

Background: This study was carried out to describe the pattern of lymphadenopathy with demographic and clinical profiles of the patients presenting with cervical lymphadenothy and assessing relative diagnostic efficacy of the clinical evaluation, fine needle aspiration biopsy and open biopsy. Method: This prospective study was conducted in department of pathology in AL Ameen Medical collage , 150 cases of chronic cervical lymphadenopathy came to pathology department for FNAC or Histopathology were enrolled in this study. Results: Tuberculous adenitis is the common cause of cervical lymphadenitis with 63% cases followed by chronic non-specific lymphadenitis with 27.33% cases, lymphoma with 5.33% cases, secondary carcinoma with 2% cases and drug induced 2%.There were 44% males and 56% females Most of the patients belong to the poor socio-economical class and 80.7% of TB lymphadenitis belonged to low socioeconomic status,most of the cases were from rural area. Presenting symptom was swelling in the neck, unilateral lymph node involvement was seen in 92%,upper anterior deep cervical lymph node 44% followed by Sub-mandibular and sub- mental nodal involvement 22% cases were seen. Only 4% of the patient showed evidence of active tuberculosis on radiology, FNAC is conclusive up to 88%. Conclusion : Tuberculous adenitis is the common cause of cervical lymphadenitis usually present as unilateral lymph nodes enlargement without constitutional symptoms upper and anterior deep cervical followed by sub-mandibular and sub-mental commonly involed lymph node. In cervical lymphadenopathy FNAC is most reliable diagnostic tool, which is easy to perform, cost effective.