Fungus diseases are frequently diagnosed or treated surgically. The tissues most frequently received for diagnosis of fungus diseases are lymph nodes, skin, and lung, and occasionally brain, bone, etc.
Lymph nodes from the neck, especially the ones located in the fat pad of the scalene region, often contain satellite lesions of which the primary is in the lung.44 The morphological diagnosis of granulomatous disorders has limitations and should be supplemented by cultural procedures.50
We place part of the biopsy material into a refrigerator freezing compartment for 24 hours, by which time the microscopic sections become available. We then culture all lymph nodes except those containing metastatic carcinoma. In view of the relatively frequent association of lymphomas with Cryptococcus neoformans and Histoplasma capsulatum, cultures are, in our opinion, very much indicated even if a clear-cut lymphoma has been recognized.29,45 The results of the culture may become decisive in