Fine needle aspiration cytology in diagnosis of tuberculous lymphadenitis.

Fine needle aspiration cytology and culture were done on 200 patients with clinical diagnosis of tuberculous lymphadenitis. Cytological changes consistent with tuberculosis were seen in 124 and 100 of these showed growth of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Atypical mycobacteria were not isolated from any of these patients. Of the 100 culture positives, 75 were found to be positive by auramine-rhodamine and Ziehl-Neelsen staining technique. However, with the latter method the diagnosis was missed on first examination of eight smears. With periodic acid-Schiff staining mycobacteria could be visualised in 71 smears.