Histopathology of lymphadenopathy in a tropical country

A review of 1153 lymph node biopsies received at the Pathology Department of the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan within a five year period was done. Analysis showed that 427 of the lymph nodes (37%) had normal or non-specific reactive changes, 27.7% showed granulomatous inflammation and 35.5% showed malignancy, lymphoid or metastatic tumours. Tuberculosis was the single most common granulomatous inflammatory condition constituting 94.5% of the granulomatous inflammatory lesions. Tuberculosis was also the commonest cause of lymph node enlargement in childhood (0-14 years) whilst malignant condition was the commonest above forty five years of age.