Evaluation of routine laboratory methods in the diagnosis of tubercular lymphadenitis

Lymph node biopsies from 64 cases suspected of Tuberculosis were subjected to fluorescent smear microscopy, culture and histopathology. Fluorescent microscopy was found to be the most sensitive technique (32.8%) followed by culture (20.3%) and histopathology (14.06%). Thus, for the diagnosis of tubercular lymphadenitis requisition for bacteriological investigations must be sent along with histopathology, particularly in early cases.