The study aimed to examine the perception that the relapse rate following standard short-course chemotherapy in children with lymph node tuberculosis is greater than in similarly treated children with pulmonary tuberculosis (TB). The treatment records, clinical data and results of investigations of 427 children treated for lymph node TB between 1989 and 1996 were analysed. The results and role of investigations are discussed. The relapse rate was compared with that of 892 children treated for pulmonary TB during the same period. The documented relapse rate for lymph node TB was 2.8% compared with 0.6% in pulmonary TB. This highly significant difference led to a prospective study of outcome of lymph node TB treatment in Port Moresby.