title: FNAC in the diagnosis of lymph node malignancies: A simple and sensitive tool.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) of the lymph node is a simple diagnostic tool to diagnose suspected and unsuspected secondary and primary lymph node malignancy.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To study the utility of FNAC in the diagnosis of clinically suspected and unsuspected lymph node malignancy.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional hospital based study on 50 patients diagnosed to have primary or secondary lymph node malignancy by cytology, and confirmed by histopathology.
  
  
  METHODS
  Lymph node aspirate smears reported as malignant were studied and the findings were correlated with histopathology. Clinical and radiological data were also noted.
  
  
  METHODS
  The data were tabulated as per the involvement of the various lymph node groups and the types of secondary and primary lymph node malignancies involved.
  
  
  RESULTS
  45 cases of metastatic malignancy and five cases of lymphomas were diagnosed by FNAC of lymph nodes. Histopathological correlation was available in all cases. Malignancy was clinically unsuspected in nine cases (18%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  FNAC of lymph nodes is a very useful, simple and sometimes the only tool in the diagnosis of lymph node malignancies.
authors: Department of Pathology, NKP Salve Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre, Digdoh Hills, Nagpur, Maharashtra, India.
authors: Anne R
authors: AR
authors: Wilkinson
authors: Sadhana D
authors: SD
authors: Mahore
authors: Sabiha A
authors: SA
authors: Maimoon