Xpert MTB/RIF and Microscopic Cytology of FNAB in Tuberculosis

Background: The symptom of lymphadenopathy can describe several disorders, including tuberculosis (TB) lymphadenitis. The suspicious gland will undergo supportive investigations to confirm the diagnosis in patients with suspected TB lymphadenitis. Fine Needle Aspiration Biopsy (FNAB) is a minimally invasive treatment frequently used to collect samples from individuals with lymphadenopathy. With these specimens, Xpert MTB/RIF detects DNA of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) in addition to the cytological evaluation, which examines tissue reactions on the host. This study will evaluate the discrepancies between microscopic descriptions of FNAB and Xpert MTB/RIF investigation result. Method: The patients with lymphadenopathy who underwent Xpert MTB/RIF examination and FNAB cytology at Dr. Soetomo Hospital Surabaya, Indonesia, between September 2021 and September 2022, are the subjects of this retrospective analytical observational study. The scoring system is based on FNAB microscopic descriptions and the Xpert MTB/RIF nominal data. The Wilcoxon, Mann-Whitney, and McNemar tests were used to analyze both. Result: The results of the Xpert MTB/RIF and the FNAB were not significantly different according to the McNemar test (p=0.118; p<0.05). Conclusion: The positive Xpert MTB/RIF results group had a higher microscopic description score than the negative Xpert MTB/RIF results group. There was no difference in the Xpert MTB/RIF examination results with the FNAB end conclusions.