Background: Fine needle aspiration of neck nodes is quick, safe and convenient method for the diagnosis of various lesions. The procedure is well tolerated by the patients, has minimal complications and repeatable. Because of its minimally invasive characteristic, this technique is now being used routinely for quick and accurate diagnosis. Enlarged lymph nodes are one of the most frequently sampled tissues. The diagnostic accuracy of FNAC in neck node malignancy is high.
Aims & Objective: To study efficacy of aspiration cytology in suspected metastatic neck lymph nodes.
Material and Methods: A prospective hospital based study was conducted among patients attending cytology lab in Department of Pathology, of a tertiary care centre in this region over a period of three years. All new patients having clinically suspected neck lymph nodes were included in the study. All previously treated patients and those with recurrence were excluded from the study. Cervical lymph nodes were aspirated, and smears were prepared & processed following standard techniques. Findings were correlated with previous studies. A total number of 225 cases were examined.
Results: A total of 225 cases of lymph node aspirates were examined. Out of these, 190 cytologically diagnosed cases, as metastatic cervical lymph nodes were further evaluated. Most number of cases was seen in males, in the age group of 45-76 years. Higher number of patients had known primary sites, seen in oral cavity. Confirmatory cytological diagnosis could be made in maximum number of cases.
Conclusion: Fine needle aspiration cytology is a safe, rapid and highly accurate method for diagnosis of superficially palpable lymph nodes. It is now considered as a routine OPD procedure, and most convenient method for confirmation of suspected metastatic nodes.
Key words: Metastatic Lymph Nodes; Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology (FNAC); Efficacy
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