title: Mycobacterial cervical lymphadenitis: a persistent diagnostic problem.
abstract: The most common manifestation of mycobacterial infection encountered in otolaryngologic practice is cervical lymphadenitis. Mycobacterial cervical lymphadenitis, or scrofula, remains a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge because it mimics other pathologic processes, and because of the inconsistent reliability of physical and laboratory findings. Twenty-five cases of scrofula were treated at our institution from 1973 to 1986. Positive chest x-ray was exhibited by five (20%) patients. Histologic examination of the excisional biopsy was the most reliable test with 100% positive specimens. This study emphasizes the marked variability in clinical presentation of scrofula and the importance of surgical excisional biopsy for histologic diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, New York Medical College, NY 10003.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alleva
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Guida
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Romo
authors.forename: C P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Kimmelman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001706:Biopsy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D009333:Neck; D014388:Tuberculosis, Lymph Node / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D000995:Antitubercular Agents