Cervical tuberculous lymphadenitis: Clinical profile and diagnostic modalities

Tuberculosis is a major global health problem. Tuberculous lymphadenopathy is a most common form of extrapulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB), constitutes 35% of all cases of EPTB. Due to the paucibacillary nature of specimens, smear microscopy and culture offer low sensitivity.

The aim of the present study was to find the clinicodemographic profiles and comparing the performance of Xpert MTB/RIF, conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR), mycobacteria growth indicator tube (MGIT) 960, histopathological examination, and clinical follow-up of patients in diagnosing of smear-negative tuberculous lymphadenopathy.

A total of 140 clinically suspected cervical tuberculous lymphadenitis cases were enrolled in this study. MGIT-960 culture, conventional PCR, and Xpert MTB/RIF were performed. Most of the patients presented with unilateral (87.14%), single (81.42%), matted (87.85%) lymph nodes, 3 cm-6 cm (52.14%), commonly in the right side (68.02%), and associated lung lesion was found in 12.86% of cases. The detection rates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) by Xpert MTB/RIF, conventional PCR, and MGIT were 25.71%, 20.71%, and 17.85%, respectively. Both the tests: Xpert MTB/RIF and PCR, PCR and MGIT, Xpert MTB/RIF and MGIT were positive in 15.71%, 15.71%, and 11.42% of cases, respectively. Most of the patients (74.1%) were cured with 6 months of antitubercular drugs.

Clinicians often face the diagnostic dilemmas presented in the study. Individual modalities of the diagnosis are available, but all have drawbacks with varied sensitivity and specificity. Combining the available clinical, radiological, and microbiological modality to reach early diagnosis can go a long way to avoid misdiagnosis and unnecessary delay in treatment, especially in cases, without the pulmonary involvement and fulfilling the aim of National Tuberculosis Control Programme for EPTB cases.