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About Neha Dahiya MD
Expertise
I can help patients understand their lab report results, help them with queries regarding what pretest preparation is required. How often a follow up test needs to be done. What does a particular tissue biopsy report mean in everyday English. I can explain the biopsy or cytology procedure. I can deal with Histopathology / cytology / clinical pathology and clinical chemistry queries. Helping in this manner will be my contribution to the community.

Experience
I am a pathologist and director of clinical laboratory services. I have been a practicing pathologist for last 9 years in a 350 bed multi specialty hospital laboratory.

Organizations
Indian association of pathologists and microbiologists.
MIAC - Member International Academy of Cytology
International association of Pathologists - indian division
Indian association of Cytology

Education/Credentials
MD (pathology) MBA

You are here: Experts > Health/Fitness > Medical Specialists > Pathology > Fine Needle Lymph Node Biopsy

Pathology - Fine Needle Lymph Node Biopsy

Expert: Neha Dahiya MD - 11/3/2009

Question
I had a fine needle biopsy performed on an enlarged lymph node. The results were clear of malignancy according to my doctor. My greatest concern prior to the biopsy was follicular lymphoma because I had several enlarged nodes that were permanent but not growing. I have since read that follicular lymphoma is unreliable to diagnose with a fine needle biopsy. Is this still true or is this old statistical data (I read several research papers from the late 1990s)? Also, even if there wasn't a definitive diagnosis, would they have seen something suspicious or worth further investigation if follicular lymphoma was a possibility?

Thanks for your time. I greatly appreciate it.

Answer
Hello Ryan:

If there was the slightest suspicion of Lymphoma further investigation would be done to confirm the type of lymphoma. FNA generally helps arrive at the diagnosis of lymphoma. However to further classify the type of lymphoma a biopsy (excision of the lymph node) is required.

The FNA interpretation is based on what material is aspirated and seen on the slides. If clinically there is a suspicion of lymphoma the doctor will go ahead and do an excision biopsy

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