Cytological pattern of head and neck Lymphadenopathy: A study at a tertiary care centre

from benign to malignant conditions. Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology has emerged as an easy, quick, cost effective, minimally invasive and safe technique, with high sensitivity and specificity, in the evaluation of lymphadenopathy. The present study was done with the aim of studying the pattern of various lymph node diseases present in Head and neck region. It was an observational study conducted in the department of pathology Government Medical College, Srinagar from 1st July 2013 to June 2015. A total of 711 cases were studied during this period out of which 82.3% cases were benign and 17.7% cases were diagnosed as malignant. Patients ranged from 2 months to 90 years in age with male to female ratio of 1.2:1. Non specific reactive hyperplasia was the most common diagnosis (66.9%) followed by metastatic tumours (13.2%), Chronic granulomatous lymphadenitis (10%), tuberculosis (6.5%) and Lymphomas (4.5%). Benign causes of lymphadenopathy were found more commonly in younger age groups whereas malignant especially metastatic infiltration was found in older age groups. The underlying causes of lymphadenopathy were varied, Fine Needle aspiration cytology was a useful first line investigating tool in arriving at a diagnosis.