Results of culture, AFB smear, histology, cytology, and PCR analysis for 90 specimens of lymph node aspirate and lymph node tissue
| Number of positive specimens/number of specimens tested (%) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Method | TBLN (n = 22) | NTL (n = 14) | GLA (n = 9) |
| p < 0.00001 for overall PCR v overall culture. | |||
| p < 0.002 for overall PCR v overall AFB smear. | |||
| p < 0.05 for histology + culture v cytology + culture. | |||
| p not significant for biopsy histology + culture v biopsy PCR. | |||
| p not significant for FNA cytology + culture v FNA PCR. | |||
| Final results after repeat PCR are provided in the table; after the first PCR 10 each of FNA and biopsy specimens were positive and 13 patients with TBLN were positive. | |||
| AFB, acid fast bacilli; FNA, fine needle aspirate; GLA, granulomatous lymphadenitis; NTL, non-tubercular lymphadenitis; PCR, polymerase chain reaction; TBLN, tuberculous lymphadenitis. | |||
| Culture | |||
| Overall | 6/44 (15) | 0/28 | 0/18 |
| Tissue biopsy | 4/22 (19) | 0/14 | 0/9 |
| FNA | 2/22 (9) | 0/14 | 0/9 |
| AFB smear | |||
| Overall | 9/44 (20) | 0/28 | 0/18 |
| Tissue biopsy | 5/22 (23) | 0/14 | 0/18 |
| FNA | 4/22 (18) | 0/14 | 0/18 |
| Tissue histology | 13/22 (59) | 0/14 | 7/9 (78) |
| Histology + culture | 17/22 (77) | 0/14 | 7/9 (78) |
| FNA cytology | 7/22 (32) | 0/14 | 5/9 (56) |
| Cytology + culture | 9/22 (41) | 0/14 | 5/9 (56) |
| PCR | |||
| Overall | 27/44 (61) | 2/28 (7) | 9/18 (50) |
| Tissue biopsy | 15/22 (68) | 1/14 (7) | 4/9 (44) |
| FNA | 12/22 (55) | 1/14 (7) | 5/9 (56) |