Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology of Palpable Lymph Nodes: A Single Institutional Experience of 1,346 Cases.
- Author:
Dong Hoon SHIN
1
;
Kyung Un CHOI
;
Jee Yeon KIM
;
Hyun Jeong KANG
;
Ick Doo KIM
;
Mee Young SOL
Author Information
1. Department of Pathology, Medical Graduate School, Pusan National University, Busan, Korea. kuchoi@pusan.ac.kr
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Fine needle aspiration cytology;
Lymph node;
Palpable
- MeSH:
Biopsy;
Biopsy, Fine-Needle*;
Busan;
Diagnosis;
Follow-Up Studies;
Gene Rearrangement;
Lymph Nodes*;
Sensitivity and Specificity
- From:Korean Journal of Cytopathology
2007;18(2):126-132
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic value of fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) for the assessment of palpable enlarged lymph nodes. The authors reviewed the results of 1,346 FNACs of palpable enlarged lymph nodes performed at Pusan National University Hospital from 1998 to 2004. Of the 1,346 cases, 1,265 (94.0%) were satisfactory and 81 (6.0%) unsatisfactory. Cytologic diagnoses were judged in 488 cases, based on subsequent histologic diagnoses, clinical follow up, or both. Global results for all malignancies (lymphoid and non-lymphoid neoplasms) based on cases with final diagnoses, showed a sensitivity of 87.4% and a specificity of 98.7%. The overall diagnostic accuracy was 93.2%, and the false negative rate reduced from 12.6% to 7.3% when lymphomatous cases were excluded. The annual data for this period showed that the number of diagnostic lymph node biopsies and the rate of inadequately sampled material markedly decreased. Gene rearrangement studies for IgH and TCR gamma were helful in 30 cases. FNAC is a useful initial diagnostic procedure for the evaluation of palpable enlarged lymph nodes. However, the technique should be assisted by the appropriate ancillary studies and by proper interpretation by a cytopathologist.
