ABSTRACT
Background- One of the most typical diagnoses at OPDs in a developing nation like India is tuberculous lymphadenitis. Anti-tubercular therapy, however, cannot be started based solely on clinical suspicion. Along with culture, cytomorphology with acid fast staining is an effective tool for diagnosing these cases. The purpose of the study was to examine the usefulness, limits, and relationships between Ziehl-Neelsen staining in tuberculous lymphadenitis and various cytomorphological presentations using fine needle aspiration cytology. At a tertiary care facility, the study was Materials and Methods- carried out over the course of a year with a total of 146 cases. Patients who had lymphadenopathy that was clinically suspected were chosen. There were 36.3% cases of tuberculous Resultlymphadenitis out of which 66.04% cases were overall AFB positive. The most frequent cytological finding was epithelioid cell granulomas with lymphocytes, and cases with granulomas and necrosis had the highest levels of AFB positivity. Most patients first showed up in their third or fourth decade of life. Solitary lymphadenopathy, as opposed to matted lymph nodes as reported by others, was the most frequent presentation and the cervical area was the most frequently involved site. Fine needle as Conclusion- piration cytology is a highly sensitive method for diagnosing tuberculous lymphadenitis that is inexpensive, safe, and dependable. By adding acid fast staining and culture procedures to cytomorphology, the diagnostic index can be raised even higher. However, FNAC combined with methods like ELISA and PCR would improve the current landscape of diagnostic and therapeutic options.