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In veterinary radiotherapy, highly reproducible immobilization is important for accurate irradiation. Consequently, we developed a new reusable head‐immobilization method for dogs using cylinders. This study aimed to compare the accuracy of our novel immobilization method using cylinders with that of bite‐block type immobilization methods. Three immobilization methods were compared: bite‐block only, bite‐block combined with torso immobilization, and immobilization using cylinders. Five beagles with canine teeth underwent CT five times for each of the three immobilization methods. One beagle without canine teeth underwent CT 15 times using each method. Three maxillary landmarks (maxillary incisor, frontal sinus, and occipital bone) and one mandibular landmark (mandibular incisor) were established, and the errors in each immobilization method were measured. For all head landmarks, the error in the immobilization method using cylinders was the most reproducible, with the smallest errors. No significant differences were observed in the time required for immobilization. Although there were limitations (such as the use of dogs from a single breed, a single episode of anesthesia, no disassembly of the immobilization system between scans, and the same person performing the positioning on the same day), we found our new reusable immobilization method using cylinders was the most accurate among the three compared methods. This was a proof‐of‐principle study to evaluate head immobilization using cylinders, and further investigations are needed to confirm its clinical utility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 3-year-old, spayed female, Domestic Shorthair cat presented with anorexia, lethargy, vomiting, probable hemoabdomen, and multiple masses on the right lateral liver lobe. Clinicopathologic and imaging abnormalities included anemia, azotemia, icterus, and hepatomegaly with hypoechoic masses. On cytologic evaluation of a fine-needle aspiration of a liver mass there was abundant extracellular pink- to purple-colored material between hepatocytes. The amorphous material was stained with direct fast scarlet ( DFS), and green birefringent areas were observed under polarized light, confirming the presence of amyloid. A unique finding on the cytologic smear were macrophages containing amorphous and fibrillar amyloid-like protein. Histopathologic examination using H&E and Congo red staining confirmed amyloid deposits within the space of Disse, along the sinusoids, portal tracts, blood vessel walls, and within the cytoplasm of macrophages. Immunohistochemical staining with anti- AA amyloid antibodies further confirmed the presence of AA amyloid. To the author's knowledge, this is the first report of the cytologic finding of AA amyloid protein within macrophages and DFS stain detection of amyloid on a cytologic smear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]