USE OF FINE-NEEDLE ASPIRATION CYTOLOGY FOR INVESTIGATING LYMPHADENOPATHY IN HIV-POSITIVE PATIENTS

The cytological diagnoses of 27 lymph node aspirates were compared wit h the histological diagnoses or clinical outcome in 23 HIV positive pa tients. There was agreement between the cytological and histological d iagnoses in 14 of the 16 surgically biopsied cases. The clinical outco me in the remaining 11 cases was consistent with the cytodiagnosis. Fi ne needle aspiration (FNA) is a reliable, minimally traumatic, cost ef fective method with high specificity. It is suitable for an initial ra pid diagnosis in HIV positive patients with lymphadenopathy.