Role of fine needle aspiration cytology in the diagnosis of lymphadenopathy.

Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) and open biopsy of same enlarged lymph nodes were performed in 59 patients with lymphadenopathy. When histopathological and cytological examinations were compared, an accuracy of 91.5% was achieved with FNAC in the cases of lymphadenopathy of various etiologies. Thus, fine needle aspiration cytology being reliable, safe, rapid and economical procedure, is useful as an outdoor diagnostic procedure for diagnosing lymphadenopathy of various etiologies.