Ultrasound-guided lymph node biopsies: feasible and safe use of pathology services in a resource-limited, high TB/HIV prevalence setting
Keywords:
HIV, lymphadenopathy, ultrasound-guided biopsy, low-resource setting, pathologyAbstract
Background: Enlarged lymph nodes (LN) pose diagnostic challenges for people with HIV (PWH). While tuberculosis (TB) is a common cause in low-income settings, lymphomas and Kaposi’s sarcoma must also be considered. Ultrasound and symptoms cannot distinguish between these conditions, and histology is often needed, but limited resources in low-income countries restrict sampling. To minimize the need for excisional biopsies, we introduced an algorithm for ultrasound-guided core-needle biopsies (CNB) after negative fine-needle aspiration (FNA) results from Xpert-Ultra.
Methods: At the Lighthouse clinic in Lilongwe, Malawi, patients with peripheral lymphadenopathy underwent ultrasound-guided FNA. Negative Xpert-Ultra results prompted CNB using Tru-Cut needles, with samples sent for pathology. We retrospectively analyzed 12 months of data, including histology results and abdominal ultrasound findings.
Results: In 2024, 53 CNBs were performed, 96% in HIV patients. No significant complications were observed. A conclusive diagnosis was reached in 77% of cases, with the most common diagnoses being hematological malignancies (54%), reactive LN (15%), Kaposi’s sarcoma (12%), and metastatic carcinoma (10%). Infections, including granulomatous inflammation, were found in 10% of cases. Hypoechoic spleen lesions were more frequent in patients with hematological diseases (p=0.03).
Conclusion: Ultrasound-guided CNB of enlarged peripheral LN is a safe, effective addition to routine care in ART clinics. After negative Xpert-Ultra FNA, hematological malignancies were common. Abdominal ultrasound findings were frequently abnormal, particularly hypoechoic spleen lesions in hematological diseases.
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