Cytological diagnosis of tuberculosis: a fine needle aspiration study of post-BCG vaccination lymphadenopathy

The FNA biopsy smears of 20 cases of post-BCG vaccination axillary lymphadenopathy were studied microscopically. Characteristic epithelioid granuloma was detected in nine cases. Multinucleated giant cells of the foreign body type were sparse and no classical Langhan's cells were detected. In two instances, necrotic eosinophilic granular debris was found. In two other instances, the smears were dominated by polymorphs. Material from the FNA biopsy was submitted for culture indicated that there are no specific diagnostic features of tuberculosis in FNA smears studies by light microscopy and that bacterial culture studies should be done on the aspirated material to establish such a diagnosis