Evaluation of pathologic lesions in superficial lymph node biopsies

Abstract

Introduction: Lymphadenopathy can be due to any disease process involving lymph nodes. Enlargement of lymph node is a very common clinical symptom seen in outpatient department of any hospital. Lymphadenopathy can occur at any age group and at any site of the body. Detail clinical history for signs and symptoms, size of lymph nodes, presence of generalized lymphadenopathy, and hepatosplenomegaly help to arrive at provisional diagnosis. Histopathological examination of the lymph node biopsies is a gold standard test in the distinction between reactive and malignant lymphoid proliferations as well as for detailed subtyping of lymphomas. Aim: The aim of present study is to analyze pathological spectrum of various neoplastic and non-neoplastic lesions affecting superficial lymph nodes in the neck, axilla, inguinal region and correlation with clinical findings. Materials and Methods: The present study was a retrospective study conducted in the department of Pathology, at Chalmeda Anand Rao Institute of Medical Sciences, Bommakal Karimnagar,during the period from february 2014 to march 2015. Lymph node biopsies of all patients of both sexes and all age groups were included. Total 47 lymph node biopsies were selected for histopathological evaluation which constituted the study material. Among these 25 were from males and 22 were from females with male to female ratio being 1.2:1. The age of the patients ranged from 3 to 71 years with a mean age of 40-49 years. Results: Out of total 47 cases, 15(31.9%) cases were tuberculous lymphadenitis ,13 cases (27.6%) were malignant lymphoma while metastasis was found in 10(21.2%) cases, reactive hyperplasia in 5(10.6%) cases, suppurative lymphadenitis in 2(4.2%) cases, castleman disease and kikuchi disease, the least common condition was seen in only one case(2.1%) each. Cervical lymph nodes were most commonly biopsied group of lymph nodes in our study. Conclusion: Tuberculosis was the most common cause of lymphadenopathy, followed by malignant lymphoma and the cervical group of lymph nodes was most frequently affected.