Ultrasound Study of Tubercular Lymphadenopathy

Tubercular lymphadenopathy is a common entity. Etiologically it can be divided into primary tubercular lymphadenopathy and secondary tubercular lymphadenopathy. Ultrasound can satisfactorily demonstrate the involved lymph nodes. Hence we reviewed the ultrasound findings in all fine needle aspiration cytology proven cases of tubercular lymphadenopathy that presented in the imaging department in the last 12 months. Nine different criteria on Grey Scale ultrasound imaging and three different criteria on Color Doppler ultrasound imaging were used to different tubercular nodes from metastatic lymphadenopathy. Matting, presence of intranodal necrosis-caseation, intranodal calcifications, minimal vascularity and reduced Doppler Pulsatility and Resisitivity Indices were the hallmarks of tubercular lymphadenopathy which enabled correct diagnosis with a sensitivity of 85.25% and a specificity of 98.36 %. Thus ultrasound can satisfactorily differentiate between tubercular and metastatic lymphadenopathy. [Cukurova Med J 2013; 38(2.000): 189-195]