ABSTRACT
Background: Enlarged palpable cervical lymph nodes as a primary presenting sign are very common and may be due to inflammatory lesions and tumors. Correlation between clinical findings and laboratory data is essential in arriving at a diagnosis. In patients presenting with cervical lymphadenopathy, excision biopsy provides material to establish an early diagnosis. We designed this study in our population for histological evaluation of cervical lymph node biopsies that might be important in the management of these patients. Objective: Histopathological evaluation of different diseases involving the cervical lymph nodes in relation to age and sex of the study population. Materials and Methods: It was a cross sectional study conducted in the department of Pathology, Enam Medical College & Hospital, Savar, Dhaka during the period from January 2006 to December 2010. A total of 107 patients were evaluated for specific cause of cervical lymphadenopathy in relation to age and sex. Lymph node biopsies of all patients of both sexes and all age groups were included in the study. Results: Among the 107 subjects 58 (54.2%) were males and 49 (45.8%) were females with a male to female ratio of 1.2:1. The age of the patients ranged from 2 to 85 years with a mean age of 32.68 ± 18.01 years. Of the 107 lymph node biopsies, 34 cases (31.8%) were reactive lymphadenitis, 41 cases (38.3%) were tuberculosis, 2 cases (1.9%) were non-caseous granuloma, 6 cases (5.6%) were Hodgkin lymphoma, 8 cases (7.5%) were non-Hodgkin lymphoma, 12 cases (11.2%) were metastatic neoplasm and 4 cases (3.7%) were other specific lesions. Conclusion: The commonest cause of cervical lymphadenopathy was tuberculosis, followed by reactive lymphadenitis, lymphoma and metastatic neoplasm.
ABSTRACT
Background: Lymphadenopathy is a common manifestation of a large variety of disorders, both benign and malignant. It is essential to define the pattern of disorders presenting primarily as lymph node enlargement in a particular environment. Histopathological examination of the lymph node biopsies is a gold standard test in the distinction between reactive and malignant lymphoid proliferations as well as for detailed subtyping of lymphomas. We designed this study in our population for histopathological evaluation of lymph nodes that might be helpful for clinical management of these lesions. Objective: Histopathological evaluation of lymphadenopathy from excised specimen, in relation to age and sex of the patients, and distribution of the lymph nodes. Materials and Methods: It was a retrospective cross sectional study conducted in the department of Pathology, Enam Medical College & Hospital, Savar, Dhaka during the period from January 2006 to December 2010. Lymph node biopsies of all patients of both sexes and all age groups were included. Metastatic lymph nodes associated with evidence of primaries elsewhere in the body were excluded from the study. Total 191 lymph node biopsies were selected for histopathological evaluation. Among these 90 (47.12%) were from males and 101 (52.88%) were from females with male to female ratio being 1:2.1. The age of the patients ranged from 2 to 85 years with a mean age of 35.73 ± 18 years. Results: Cervical lymph nodes were the most common (56%) biopsied group. Of the 191 cases 59 cases (30.89%) were reactive lymphadenitis, 64 cases (33.5%) were tuberculosis, 2 cases (1.05%) were non-caseous granuloma, 11 cases (5.76%) were Hodgkin lymphoma, 22 cases (11.52%) were non-Hodgkin lymphoma, 24 cases (12.57%) were metastatic neoplasm and 9 cases (4.7%) were other lesions. Conclusion: Tuberculosis was the most common cause of lymphadenopathy, followed by reactive lymphadenitis and the cervical group of lymph nodes was most frequently affected.
ABSTRACT
Background: Masses in the neck are very common and these may range from inflammatory to neoplastic lesions. Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) is a simple, quick and minimally invasive procedure that is well recognized and widely accepted diagnostic tool in separating inflammatory lesions from cystic and neoplastic lesions of the neck. We designed this study in our populations for evaluation of FNAC of different neck masses and that might facilitate the diagnosis and management of these lesions. Objectives: To find out the frequency of different pathological conditions detected on FNAC, to determine the prevalence of neck masses with respect to age and sex and to assert their organs of origin and the nature of the lesions. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted in the Department of Pathology, Enam Medical College, Savar, Dhaka from January 2009 to August 2010. The patients of any age and either sex with neck masses were included. Total 526 patients with neck swellings were included in this study. Among these 60.6% were females and 39.4% were males with male to female ratio of 1:1.54. The age of the patients ranged from 10 months to 85 years with mean age of 32.52 ±17.01 years. Results: Of the 526 cases 341 (64.8%) were from lymph nodes, 127 cases (24.2%) from thyroid glands, 32 cases (6.1%) from salivary glands, 14 cases (2.7%) from cysts and 12 cases (2.2%) from soft tissues. FNAC revealed that 86.2% of the lesions were non-malignant which included 60.5% of inflammatory lesions and 25.7% of other benign lesions. Malignant lesions were found in 8% of cases and 5.9% of the cases were categorized as indeterminate follicular neoplasm of the thyroid gland. Conclusion: Reactive lymphadenitis is the commonest condition in the neck swellings followed by tuberculous lymphadenitis, nodular goiter and malignant neoplasm, especially metastatic carcinoma.