Diagnosis and treatment of isolated tuberculous mediastinal lymphadenopathy in adults.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the diagnostic yield of bronchoscopy and mediastinoscopy in adults with isolated mediastinal tuberculous lymphadenitis and to assess the effect of antituberculous treatment. DESIGN: Prospective longitudinal cohort study of 34 patients with mediastinal tuberculous lymphadenitis followed for 6 to 19 months after completion of treatment. SETTING: Tertiary care hospital, Kuwait. PATIENTS: 34 consecutive patients who presented with isolated mediastinal lymphadenopathy from 1996 to 1998. INTERVENTIONS: Bronchoscopy and cervical mediastinoscopy for all patients. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Diagnostic yield of bronchoscopy and mediastinoscopy, and the outcome of treatment in patients with tuberculous lymphadenopathy. RESULTS: The mean age was 35 years (range 15-58). The most common symptoms were cough, fever, and weight loss. The chest radiographs and computed tomograms showed abnormal mediastinal shadows with no evidence of parenchymal disease. All patients had right sided paratracheal lymphadenopathy. Tuberculin skin test gave a weal of >15 mm in 17 patients (50%). Sputum smears and cultures failed to grow acid-fast bacilli in any patient. Seven patients had an endobronchial abnormality and samples taken at bronchoscopy gave a definite diagnosis in 3 (9%). Paratracheal lymph node biopsy and culture by mediastinoscopy diagnosed tuberculosis in all cases. All patients were treated by a six month course of rifampicin and isoniazid supplemented initially by pyrazinamide for two months. Twenty-eight patients had a good response and the remaining patients were treated for a further 3 months. CONCLUSIONS: Bronchoscopy has a low diagnostic yield in mediastinal tuberculous lymphadenopathy in the absence of a parenchymal lesion. Mediastinoscopy is a safe but invasive procedure and provides a tissue diagnosis in most cases. Six months treatment with rifampicin and isoniazid supplemented initially by pyrazinamide is adequate treatment for most adults with tuberculous mediastinal lymphadenopathy.     

Intrathoracic tuberculous lymphadenopathy: clinical and bronchoscopic features in 17 adults without parenchymal lesions.

BACKGROUND: Whilst intrathoracic lymphadenitis is a characteristic sign of primary tuberculosis in children, its presence without parenchymal lesions in adults is unusual and makes the diagnosis using noninvasive techniques difficult. The diagnostic role of bronchoscopy in adults with intrathoracic tuberculous lymphadenitis is reported. METHODS: Seventeen patients with intrathoracic lymphadenopathy seen during 1993 who had all undergone bronchoscopy and had been found to have tuberculosis in the absence of any parenchymal lung lesions were evaluated retrospectively. RESULTS: Right paratracheal lymphadenopathy was observed on the plain chest radiograph in all the patients. Fifteen of the 17 patients had an endobronchial abnormality and samples taken at bronchoscopy gave a definitive diagnosis in nine (53%) of the 17. Four patients had ulcerating endobronchial granuloma and all had biopsy samples positive for tuberculosis. Transbronchial or transcarinal needle aspiration samples were diagnostic in five of 11 patients (45%) subjected to the procedure. Peripheral lymph node biopsy diagnosed tuberculosis in two cases and in the remaining six patients the diagnosis wa achieved by mediastinoscopy or thoracotomy. CONCLUSIONS: Bronchoscopy has an important role in the diagnosis of intrathoracic tuberculous lymphadenopathy in adults and should be considered before other invasive procedures.     

应用纵隔镜手术诊断Ⅰ期胸部结节病

目的 探讨纵隔镜手术在Ⅰ期胸部结节病诊断和鉴别诊断中的应用价值.方法 回顾性分析1999年11月至2007年6月60例临床拟诊Ⅰ期胸部结节病患者的临床资料.所有患者术前行胸部X线片及CT发现肺门和(或)纵隔淋巴结肿大,肺部未见异常表现.以伴有或不伴有纵隔淋巴结肿大的两侧肺门淋巴结肿大为Ⅰ期胸部结节病的典型表现.结果 本组60例患者术后均获得明确的病理诊断.影像学表现典型者33例,纵隔镜检查术后32例获得病理学证实,诊断准确率97%;1例为纵隔淋巴结反应性增生.27例根据影像学表现考虑不典型Ⅰ期胸部结节病的患者,纵隔镜检查术后病理证实17例(63%),另有纵隔淋巴结结核6例,纵隔淋巴结反应性增生2例,转移性鳞状细胞癌以及小细胞癌各1例.全组手术顺利,无手术死亡及并发症.结论 临床及影像学表现典型的Ⅰ期胸部结节病,其临床诊断准确率高,一般不需要行纵隔镜等有创检查以获得病理学证实.     

Value of mediastinoscopy in the diagnosis of stage I thoracic sarcoidosis

OBJECTIVE: To determine the current role of mediastinoscopy in the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of stage I thoracic sarcoidosis. METHODS: The clinical data of 60 patients with a presumptive diagnosis of stage I thoracic sarcoidosis underwent mediastinoscopy from November 1999 to June 2007 were analyzed retrospectively. All the patients had hilum of lung and/or mediastinal lymphadenopathy with normal lung parenchyma on thoracic CT scan. Typical stage I sarcoidosis was defined as presence of bilateral hilum of lung lymphadenopathy with/without mediastinal lymphadenopathy. RESULTS: All the patients had definitive pathologic diagnosis. Among the 33 patients with typical presentation of stage I sarcoidosis, 32 patients were confirmed by pathology. One patient was reactive lymph node. Among the 27 patients with atypical patterns on CT, 17 patients were confirmed by pathology. No postoperative complication and mortality occurred. CONCLUSION: For the patient with a presumptive diagnosis of typical stage I thoracic sarcoidosis after clinical and radiological evaluation, confirmation of the diagnosis by mediastinoscopy and lymph node biopsy is unwarranted.     

Mediastinal sarcoidosis: An easily forgotten diagnosis

Sarcoidosis is rarely diagnosed and reported in Hong Kong. We report a 58‐year‐old woman with incidental findings of right hilar adenopathy on chest X‐ray and subsequent computed tomography showed bilateral hilar and paratracheal lymphadenopathy. A biopsy of the paratracheal lymph node was carried out by mediastinoscopy and pathology confirmed sarcoidosis. We acknowledged that sarcoidosis was probably an underdiagnosed condition in our locality and clinicians should be reminded to include sarcoidosis as a differential diagnosis when dealing with patients with hilar lymphadenopathy. Surgical biopsy by mediastinoscopy is a minimally invasive option for accessing mediastinal pathology.     

An open technique of pleural biopsy in the diagnosis of tuberculous effusions.

To assess an open technique of pleural biopsy as an aid to diagnosis in pleural disease 107 African patients with radiological evidence of pleural effusion underwent biopsy. In 87 there was radiological evidence of an effusion but not of underlying lung disease; 73 patients (84%) in this group were ultimately diagnosed as suffering from tuberculosis and of these 56 (77%) had a positive pleural biopsy. There was a heavy male predominance of tuberculous infection (male:female ratio approximately 5:1) and half of the patients were aged 21 to 30 years. In the 20 patients with radiological changes in the lung a diagnosis was established by biopsy in 13 cases. Four of these were tuberculous and a further two cases of tuberculosis were established on clinical grounds.     

Fine needle aspiration biopsy of tuberculous cervical lymphadenopathy

Fine needle aspiration biopsies of 42 histologically confirmed tuberculous cervical lesions were studied. Thirty-four patients had subsequent excision of cervical lymph nodes and eight had incision and drainage of cervical abscesses. All aspirates except two (which were inadequate) were satisfactory for diagnosis and contained inflammatory cells. Twenty-seven smears revealed cells typical of granulomatous lymphadenopathy, that is, epithelioid and multinucleated giant cells. Of all aspirates, 17 smears had bacteriological staining by Ziehl-Nielsen technique, nine of which (53%) were positive for acid-fast bacilli. An aspiration biopsy diagnosis of granulomatous or tuberculous cervical lymphadenopathy was made in 30 patients (71%). In regions where mycobacterial infection is common, the presence of granulomatous changes in lymph node aspirates is highly suggestive of tuberculosis. When the aspirates contain purulent material or when tuberculosis is suspected, staining and culture for mycobacteria should be performed. FNA biopsy is a sensitive, specific and cost-effective way to diagnose tuberculous cervical lymphadenopathy and is recommended.     

Tuberculosis in lung transplant recipients

BACKGROUND: Post-lung transplant infection is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality. The cause and incidence are similar in many series; however, infections such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis are influenced by the epidemiologic situation. The authors present a prospective and observational study to define the incidence, clinical presentation, and course of tuberculosis in a cohort of lung transplant patients at a single center in Spain. METHODS: Between 1990 and 2002, cutaneous delayed-type hypersensitivity testing and pathologic and microbiologic study of explanted lungs were conducted in 187 lung transplant patients. Serial bronchoscopies with transbronchial biopsy and bronchioalveolar lavage were performed during follow-up. The diagnosis of tuberculosis was established only when M. tuberculosis was identified in any sample or when histopathologic study was conclusive. RESULTS: Forty-eight patients were classified as anergic (25.6%) and 61 (32.6%) were classified as having a positive tuberculin skin test. Of the 109 patients, 95 received latent tuberculosis infection prophylaxis. Tuberculosis was diagnosed in 12 patients (6.41%); in six of them, diagnosis was determined from the explanted lungs. The remainder were diagnosed during follow-up. Fever and dyspnea were the most common symptoms. Chest radiographic findings presented an alveolar pattern. All patients responded well to antituberculous therapy; no deaths were attributable to tuberculosis. CONCLUSIONS: In the authors' experience, tuberculosis is not rare in lung transplant patients and can be managed successfully with antituberculous therapy without rifampin. A systematic protocol for diagnosing tuberculosis of the explanted lung is useful for reducing tuberculous complications of the implanted lung.     

Peripheral tuberculous lymphadenopathy: a review of 67 cases.

Peripheral tuberculous lymphadenopathy is the commonest form of extrapulmonary tuberculosis. Sixty-seven patients with peripheral tuberculous lymphadenopathy who presented to general surgeons and underwent lymph node biopsy between 1979 and 1989 are reviewed. Fifty-four patients (81 per cent) were of Indian subcontinent ethnic origin and 13 (19 per cent) were of white ethnic origin. The sites most commonly affected were the cervical lymph nodes. Biopsy specimens obtained by open operation were sent for microbiological examination in all but 13 cases, of whom seven were patients of white ethnic origin. Tuberculous lymphadenopathy remains an important differential diagnosis of cervical lymphadenopathy and it is essential that peripheral lymph node biopsies are examined both histologically and microbiologically.     

Tuberculous peritonitis complicating long-term peritoneal dialysis. Report of 5 cases and review of the literature

The characteristics of 5 patients who developed tuberculous peritonitis while receiving long-term peritoneal dialysis (PD) are presented. There were 2 males and 3 females. 3 patients were on intermittent and 2 were on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis when tuberculous peritonitis was first diagnosed. None of the patients had recently received immunosuppression therapy or were diabetics. The clinical presentations were similar to other forms of peritonitis complicating PD except for a more insidious onset. As extraperitoneal involvement and peritoneal lymphocytosis were rarely present, the diagnosis was mainly dependent on the direct demonstration of Mycobacterium tuberculosis with smear (1 patient) and culture (4 patients). In 1 patient with a pleuroperitoneal communication, the diagnosis was made by pleural biopsy and a positive response to antituberculous therapy. All patients responded to treatment with a combination of three antituberculous drugs which included streptomycin, isoniazid, rifampicin and pyrazinamide. Two patients were transferred to hemodialysis. In 3 patients, peritoneal dialysis was continued. Peritoneal clearance and ultrafiltration capacity were unchanged for up to 16 months after treatment in 2 patients who continued peritoneal dialysis but was reduced by 30 and 50%, respectively, in the remaining patient. Only 1 patient died, but her death was not directly related to tuberculous peritonitis. It was concluded that with a high index of suspicion and early institution of treatment, tuberculous peritonitis complicating PD can be successfully treated with low mortality and without compromising the dialysis capacity of the peritoneal membrane.     

Unilateral hilar or paratracheal adenopathy in sarcoidosis: a study of 38 cases

The diagnosis of pulmonary sarcoidosis should be considered when unilateral hilar enlargement or a paratracheal mass is present. With this diagnosis in mind, a scalene node biopsy or mediastinoscopy may prevent unnecessary thoracotomy. It is believed that the unilateral stage is only an evanescent stage before the development or regression of bilateral hilar lymphadenopathy.     

Value of adenosine deaminase in the diagnosis of tuberculous pleural effusions in young patients in a region of high prevalence of tuberculosis.

BACKGROUND--Pleural biopsy is usually considered important for the diagnosis of pleural effusions, especially for distinguishing between tuberculosis and neoplasia, even though tuberculous pleural fluid contains sensitive biochemical markers. In regions with a high prevalence of tuberculosis, and in patient groups with a low risk of other causes of pleurisy, the positive predictive value of these markers is increased. The criteria for performing a pleural biopsy under these circumstances have been investigated, using adenosine deaminase (ADA) as a pleural fluid marker for tuberculosis. METHODS--One hundred and twenty nine patients with a pleural effusion aged < or = 35 years (mean (SD) 25.2 (4.9) years) were studied. Seventy three were men. Eighty one effusions (62.8%) were tuberculous, 12 (9.3%) parapneumonic, and 10 (7.7%) neoplastic, five were caused by pulmonary thromboembolism, four by systemic lupus erythematosus, seven by empyema, three following surgery, one was the result of asbestosis, and one of nephrotic syndrome. In five cases no definitive diagnosis was reached. ADA levels were determined by the method of Galanti and Giusti. RESULTS--The diagnostic yield of procedures not involving biopsy was 94.5% (122/129). Pleural biopsy provided a diagnosis in a further two cases, but not in the remaining five. All tuberculous cases had pleural fluid levels of ADA of > 47 U/l (mean (SD) 111.1 (36.6) U/l). The only other cases in which ADA exceeded this level were six of the seven patients with empyema. Cytological examination of the pleural fluid diagnosed eight of the 10 neoplastic cases, compared with six diagnosed by pleural biopsy. CONCLUSIONS--In a region with a high prevalence of tuberculosis procedures not involving pleural biopsy have a very high diagnostic yield in patients with a pleural effusion aged < or = 35 years, making biopsy necessary only in cases in which pleural levels of ADA are below 47 U/l, pleural fluid cytology is negative and, in the absence of a positive basis for some other diagnosis, neoplasia is suspected.     

The Role of Mediastinoscopy for Diagnosis of Isolated Mediastinal Lymphadenopathy

To determine the role of mediastinoscopy (MDS) in the histological diagnosis of isolated mediastinal lymphadenopathy in a centre where more sophisticated investigations, like positron emitting tomography (PET) scan and endobronchial ultrasound guided trans-bronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) is not available. This is a retrospective study. From January 2006 to December 2009, 31 patients with isolated mediastinal lymphadenopathy underwent MDS to establish a histological diagnosis. The mean age was 36.3 years. Among the patients, 19 were males and 12 were females. The most common symptom was dry cough in 18 (58%) patients. The diagnostic yield was 96.8%, with sarcoidosis being the commonest diagnosis. It was concluded that MDS was vital in establishing a histological diagnosis in patients with isolated mediastinal lymphadenopathy.     

Sarcoidosis as a benign cause of lymphadenopathy in cancer patients

Background

Cancer and sarcoidosis have been associated in several small case series. This association makes the cancer patient with lymphadenopathy a diagnostic dilemma: malignant involvement of the lymph nodes is common, but benign diagnoses are possible and must be considered.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective chart review of all patients with a diagnosis of sarcoidosis or mediastinal adenopathy who underwent mediastinoscopy at the Swedish Medical Center and Cancer Institute from 2004 to 2008.

Results

Five hundred sixty-five mediastinoscopies were performed. There were 41 cases of biopsy-proven sarcoidosis. Twenty-one cases of sarcoidosis were diagnosed after a diagnosis of cancer. No primary cancer type was predominant. Cancers were of all stages, with and without lymph node involvement. The most common positron emission tomography combined with a computed tomography scan (PET CT) finding was bilateral hilar adenopathy with symmetric standardized uptake values (SUV) in the 4 to 15 range (62%), but many other PET CT patterns were present.

Conclusions

Hypermetabolic lymphadenopathy on staging or surveillance imaging presents a diagnostic dilemma. Sarcoidosis must be considered in the differential diagnosis of patients with a history of malignancy who develop lymphadenopathy. It is imperative to obtain a tissue diagnosis before instituting therapy for presumed cancer recurrence.     

Nasopharyngeal tuberculosis: manifestations between 1991 and 2000.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: To present the clinical manifestation of nasopharyngeal tuberculosis. STUDY DESIGN: Clinical analysis of 23 patients with pathologically confirmed nasopharyngeal tuberculosis was carried out retrospectively. SETTING: Srinagarind Hospital, Khon Kaen University. Thailand. RESULTS: The most common presenting symptom was cervical lymphadenopathy (91.3%). The common locations of nodes were the superior and middle cervical. The abnormalities of the nasopharynx were found in 16 patients. The pathological findings were caseous granuloma with positive acid-fast bacilli (AFB) in 15 cases, caseous granuloma with negative AFB in 3 cases, and chronic granulomatous inflammation with negative AFB in 5 cases. Pulmonary tuberculosis was found in 8 of 18 patients. Sixteen patients who received complete treatment responded well. CONCLUSION: Nasopharyngeal tuberculosis commonly presents with cervical lymphadenopathy. The differential diagnosis of tuberculosis from nasopharyngeal carcinoma is difficult. In the patients who have cervical lymphadenopathy and no other identified causes, biopsy of nasopharynx would give an additive information for diagnosis.     

经颈电视纵隔镜对单纯纵隔淋巴结大的诊断

目的探讨经颈电视纵隔镜对诊断单纯纵隔淋巴结大的临床应用价值。 方法对2011年7月至2016年3月间经颈电视纵隔镜手术的21例单纯纵隔淋巴结大的患者临床资料进行回顾性分析。 结果患者手术顺利,无围手术期并发症,确诊率100%。 结论对诊断单纯上纵隔淋巴结大,经颈电视纵隔镜手术有确切的临床应用价值。     

Video-assisted mediastinoscopy: experience from 240 consecutive cases

BACKGROUND: We report our experience with video-assisted mediastinoscopy. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed clinical records of all patients who underwent video-assisted mediastinoscopy in a 26-month period. Video-assisted mediastinoscopy was performed in the presence of enlarged lymph nodes (short axis > 1 cm) found at computed tomography scan. Data about operative time, node stations sampled, number of biopsies, and operative complications were collected. Results of the pathologic examination were recorded, as well as (when different) the definitive diagnosis. RESULTS: Video-assisted mediastinoscopy was performed in 240 consecutive patients. In 2 patients, the technique was employed for resection of a mesothelial cyst. In the other cases, it was used for diagnosis of enlarged nodes or staging of lung cancer. Mean number of biopsies was 6.0; mean number of sampled nodal stations was 2.3. Mean operative time was 36.6 minutes. Two operative complications occurred: a pneumothorax not requiring drainage and an injury to the innominate artery requiring manubrial split and suture. In 192 patients, the definitive diagnosis was lung cancer (18 small-cell lung cancers). In the remaining 46 patients, video-assisted mediastinoscopy allowed establishment of the diagnosis (sarcoidosis, n = 22; reactive hyperplastic lympho-adenitis, n = 13; tuberculosis, n = 4; involvement by malignancies other than lung cancer, n = 7). Among the 174 patients with non-small cell lung cancer, mediastinal nodal involvement was recognized in 107 cases (N3, n = 28; N2, n = 79). Sixty-seven patients were staged N less than 2; 47 underwent thoracotomy. Postthoracotomy staging agreed with video-assisted mediastinoscopy staging in 44 cases (93.6%). CONCLUSIONS: Video-assisted mediastinoscopy proved to be safe and effective in nodal assessment of the mediastinum.     

纵隔镜R4淋巴结活检在肺癌诊断及分期中的应用价值

目的 探讨纵隔镜R4淋巴结活检在肺癌诊断和病理学分期中的应用价值。方法 1999年11月至2004年5月，66例肺癌病人实施了纵隔镜R4淋巴结活检手术，其中常规纵隔镜17例，电视纵隔镜49例；右肺癌47例，左肺癌19例；术前明确诊断为肺癌17例，术前为疑似而术后确诊的肺癌49例。其中纵隔镜检查经颈部62例，胸骨旁1例，颈部加胸骨旁3例。结果 本组66例中，49例R4淋巴结有转移癌，17例R4淋巴结未见转移癌。在47例右肺癌纵隔镜R4淋巴结活检中38例阳性，19例左肺癌中ll例R4阳性。49例术前未明确诊断肺癌者，38例通过纵隔镜R4检查明确了诊断，2例经纵隔镜第5、6组淋巴结活检明确了诊断。小细胞肺癌、腺癌、鳞癌R4淋巴结转移的阳性率分别为100．0％、82.8％和52．0％。全组手术均顺利完成，无严重围手术期并发症和手术死亡。结论 R4组淋巴结是肺癌最重要的淋巴转移部位，纵隔镜R4淋巴结活检对肺癌的诊断、鉴别诊断及分期具有其他检查方法和其他部位淋巴结活检不可比拟的优势。     

Mediastinoscopy in relation to clinical evaluation

The aim of the study was to evaluate the entire spectrum of mediastinoscopy, from common to rare conditions, in relation to clinical judgement. The 2021 consecutive patients comprised 992 with 'open' clinical diagnoses at mediastinoscopy and 1,029 with verified or presumptive diagnoses. In the first group the most common indications for mediastinoscopy were pulmonary infiltrate (73%) and mediastinal shadow (17%), and in the second group they were bronchogenic carcinoma (57%) and sarcoidosis (38%). Mediastinoscopy was classified as positive in 43% of the first, and 60% of the second group. Of the total series, 51% had positive mediastinoscopy findings, the most common being malignant disease (24%) and sarcoidosis (21%). Mediastinoscopy was useful especially for evaluating malignant mediastinal involvement, but also for differentiation of lymphadenopathies and in diagnosis of rare diseases.     

腹腔镜技术诊断结核性腹膜炎的应用价值

目的:探讨腹腔镜技术诊断结核性腹膜炎有效性及安全性.方法:回顾分析2006年1月至2011年1月为36例疑为结核性腹膜炎的患者行腹腔镜探查术的临床资料,并收集临床数据、腹水成分、组织病理活检进行临床评估.结果:32例患者经组织学活检及抗酸杆菌培养确诊为结核性腹膜炎,其中19例以腹腔粘连为临床表现,13例表现为腹水,腹腔镜确诊率为88 9％.术后无并发症发生,均经规范抗结核治疗治愈.结论:腹腔镜探查术是诊断结核性腹膜炎安全、准确的方法.