An analysis of 2.414 fine needle aspiration specimens, obtained from peripheral lymph nodes, was done in 2.287 patients during the period from 1979 till the end of 1989. This investigation was performed at the Cytologic Laboratory of the Clinic for Lung Diseases "Jordanovac" in Zagreb. Totally, there were 150 (6.2%) aspirates which, cytomorphologically, appeared to have a granulomatous reaction with necrosis. Of 150 aspirates, Mycobacterium tuberculosis was found microscopically and/or by culture in 73 (3.02%) of them. The patients were less than 40 years of age in 63% of the cases. As to the localization, the highest rate of tuberculous lymph nodes (91.8%) was found in the neck and supraclavicular areas.