title: Nodal tuberculosis revisited: a review.
abstract: Lymphadenitis is the most common extrapulmonary manifestation of tuberculosis. Tuberculous lymphadenitis is considered to be the local manifestation of the systemic disease, whereas lymphadenitis due to nontuberculous mycobacteria is truly a localized disease. A high index of suspicion is needed for the diagnosis of tuberculous lymphadenitis which is known to mimic a number of pathological conditions. Over the last two to three decades, fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) has emerged as a simple out-patient diagnostic procedure for the evaluation of tuberculous lymphadenitis and has replaced lymph node biopsy for histopathology. A number of molecular methods have also been introduced in diagnostics which have greatly improved the diagnostic accuracy. This article provides a review of epidemiology, clinical manifestations, and pathogenesis and emphasizes current trends in pathologic diagnosis of nodal tuberculosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Government Medical College, Sector 32-A, Chandigarh, India. umahanda@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Uma
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Handa
authors.forename: Irneet
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mundi
authors.forename: Sugandha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mohan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D044963:Biopsy, Fine-Needle; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity; D014388:Tuberculosis, Lymph Node / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D055815:Young Adult