Abstract

Introduction: Accurate and timely diagnosis of lymph node pathology is crucial for appropriate management and prognostication. This study aimed to compare the diagnostic accuracy of fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) and excision biopsy in the diagnosis of various lymph node diseases. Materials and Methods: A total of 250 patients with lymphadenopathy underwent FNAC and excision biopsy at a tertiary care center between September 2013 and September 2015. The diagnostic performance of FNAC was evaluated using sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV). Results: Tuberculosis lymphadenitis (TBLN) was the most common diagnosis, accounting for 41.6% of cases on FNAC and 46% on excision biopsy. FNAC had a sensitivity of 90.4% and a PPV of 100% in the diagnosis of TBLN. For metastatic carcinoma, FNAC demonstrated a sensitivity of 84.2%, a specificity of 98.71%, a PPV of 97.56%, and an NPV of 91.07%. The overall sensitivity of FNAC in the diagnosis of lymph node diseases was 83.6%, with a PPV of 100%.

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