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Background: Approximately 80% of nasal masses in dogs and 91% of nasal masses in cats are reported to be malignant, but the currently reported diagnostic rate of neoplasia is 54% using blind or rhinoscopic biopsy techniques., Hypothesis/objectives: Describe the technique of computed tomography (CT)-guided Tru-Cut (Tru-Cut biopsy needle, Merit Medical Systems, Utah, USA) nasal biopsies in cats and dogs to determine the diagnostic rate of neoplasia on the first round of sampling and to evaluate the safety of the technique., Animals: Thirty client-owned animals, 16 dogs and 14 cats, that had CT-guided nasal biopsies performed to investigate nasal masses., Methods: Retrospective, single-center, medical record review of 16 dogs and 14 cats that had CT-guided nasal biopsies performed between 2022 and 2024., Results: Diagnostic biopsy samples were acquired using CT-guided Tru-Cut sampling in 28/30 cases (93%). The diagnosis was considered clinically appropriate in 26/30 cases (87%): neoplasia in 24/30 cases (80%) and rhinitis in 2/30 cases (7%). Neoplasia was the final diagnosis in 14/16 dogs (88%) and 10/14 cats (71%)., Conclusions and Clinical Importance: Computed tomographic-guided Tru-Cut biopsies can result in a high first-round diagnosis of neoplasia in nasal masses in cats and dogs, without clinically relevant complications. This technique is a useful alternative method of sampling nasal masses that may be difficult to access via rhinoscopy., (© 2024 The Author(s). Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.)

An 8-year-old male Yorkshire terrier was presented to the Tufts Veterinary Hospital for evaluation of increased respiratory effort. A mediastinal mass composed of a spindle-cell thymoma within a bronchogenic cyst was diagnosed with computed tomography thoracic imaging, ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspirate biopsy, and histopathologic evaluation after surgical removal. Histologic evaluation showed a multilocular cyst structure as well as a mass characterized by spindle to polygonal thymic epithelial cells. The cyst was characterized by a lining of ciliated pseudostratified respiratory epithelium. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of a spindle-cell thymoma being associated with a mediastinal bronchogenic cyst in a dog., (© 2023 American Society for Veterinary Clinical Pathology.)

Core-needle biopsy (CNB) is now widely used to diagnose and classify human lymphoma. Few studies, however, have reported the use of CNB in veterinary medicine for dogs with suspected lymphoma. The present study evaluated the efficacy of CNB sample collection to diagnose canine multicentric lymphoma morphology. 16 dogs of varying breeds with generalized peripheral lymphadenopathy and cytopathologic features suggestive of lymphoma were enrolled in the study. CNB followed by lymphadenectomy of the left popliteal lymph node was performed. Both samples underwent histopathologic evaluation. Among the 16 dogs, 14 had lymphoma. CNB was positive for lymphoma in 12 (85.7%) of these 14 dogs. CNB analysis for diagnosing dogs with multicentric lymphoma exhibited a sensitivity of 86% and a specificity of 100%. CNB was effective in generalized lymphadenopathies toward achieving a differential diagnosis and microscopic evaluation of multicentric lymphoma in dogs, revealing essential features for morphologic classification, such as cell size, histopathologic type, and grade., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Design 3D printed skull contoured brain biopsy guides (3D-SCGs) from computed tomography (CT) or T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (T1W MRI)., Study Design: Feasibility study., Sample Population: Five beagle dog cadavers and two client-owned dogs with brain tumors., Methods: Helical CT and T1W MRI were performed on cadavers. Planned target point was the head of the caudate nucleus. Three-dimensional-SCGs were created from CT and MRI using commercially available open-source software. Using 3D-SCGs, biopsy needles were placed into the caudate nucleus in cadavers, and CT was performed to assess needle placement accuracy, followed by histopathology. Three-dimensional-SCGs were then created and used to perform in vivo brain tumor biopsies., Results: No statistical difference was found between the planned target point and needle placement. Median needle placement error for all planned target points was 2.7 mm (range: 0.86-4.5 mm). No difference in accuracy was detected between MRI and CT-designed 3D-SCGs. Median needle placement error for the CT was 2.8 mm (range: 0.86-4.5 mm), and 2.2 mm (range: 1.7-2.7 mm) for MRI. Biopsy needles were successfully placed into the target in the two dogs with brain tumors and biopsy was successfully acquired in one dog., Conclusion: Three-dimensional-SCGs designed from CT or T1W MRI allowed needle placement within 4.5 mm of the intended target in all procedures, resulting in successful biopsy in one of two live dogs., Clinical Significance: This feasibility study justifies further evaluation of 3D-SCGs as alternatives in facilities that do not have access to stereotactic brain biopsy., (© 2021 The Authors. Veterinary Surgery published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American College of Veterinary Surgeons.)

Background: Romanowsky staining is often the initial method used to stain hematologic and cytologic materials. While immunocytochemistry (ICC) is a well-established method on air-dried smears, there are rare veterinary reports of ICC involving Romanowsky-stained slides., Objectives: This study aimed to compare immunoreactivity of unstained vs Romanowsky-stained specimens, evaluate reactions over time, and assess ICC associations with confirmatory tests of 50 lymphoma cases. Another goal aimed to optimize manual ICC protocols with cellular and tissue immunomarkers to detect CD3ε, CD20, Pax5, MHCII, lysozyme, MUM1, vimentin, cytokeratin, and Melan-A antigens on Romanowsky-stained specimens., Materials and Methods: Cytologic specimens from cases of lymphoid and nonlymphoid neoplasms were stained with a methanolic Romanowsky method. Additional unstained slides from these cases were used for comparison with the stained materials. Antigen retrieval involved a citrate buffer pH6 or Tris/EDTA pH9 at 95°C for 25 minutes in a decloaking chamber. Immunocytochemistry used known positive and secondary antibody-only negative cytologic controls. Immunoreactivity of unstained and prestained lymphoma slides was graded by the intensity and percent of stained cells. Signal grading was monitored over time for diagnostic differences., Results: Unstained and Romanowsky-stained slides had similar membrane/cytoplasm graded reactions, but unstained slides produced stronger signals. Romanowsky-stained blood films from B-cell and T-cell leukemias showed minimal loss of signal when monitored over 20 weeks. Signal differences did not change the diagnosis. There was a significant association between ICC and confirmatory tests. Optimization involved antibody dilution and antigen retrieval methodology for each antibody tested., Conclusions: Immunocytochemistry of Romanowsky-stained material can be successfully performed using antibodies against CD3ε, CD20, cytokeratin, lysozyme, Melan-A, MHCII, MUM1, Pax5, and vimentin., (© 2019 American Society for Veterinary Clinical Pathology.)

An 8-year-old male Japanese Shiba exhibited muscle wasting and a stiff gait. A low-amplitude myotonic discharge was recorded by needle electromyography (EMG). A histopathological examination on a tru-cut biopsy sample from the muscle revealed myofiber size variations. Internal nuclei and cytoplasmic vacuoles were observed in many fibers. A type 1 fiber predominance and many hybrid type fibers were observed immunohistochemically. On the basis of these EMG and histopathological findings, myotonic dystrophy (DM) was suspected as tentative diagnosis. The cytoplasm around the vacuoles was immunopositive for cytochrome c, tom 20, and SOD-1, suggesting that these vacuoles might occur within mitochondria. Collectively, these results indicate that a mitochondrial abnormality partly play the role on the pathogenesis of present case.

The aim of this methodological study was to develop a deep convolutional neural network (DNN) to detect degenerative hepatic disease from ultrasound images of the liver in dogs and to compare the diagnostic accuracy of the newly developed DNN with that of serum biochemistry and cytology on the same samples, using histopathology as a standard. Dogs with suspected hepatic disease that had no prior history of neoplastic disease, no hepatic nodular pathology, no ascites and ultrasonography performed 24h prior to death were included in the study (n=52). Ultrasonography and serum biochemistry were performed as part of the routine clinical evaluation. On the basis of histopathology, dogs were categorised as 'normal' (n=8), or having 'vascular abnormalities'(n=8), or 'inflammatory'(n=0), 'neoplastic' (n=4) or 'degenerative'(n=32) disease; dogs with 'neoplastic' disease were excluded from further analysis. On cytological evaluation, dogs were categorised as 'normal' (n=11), or having 'inflammatory' (n=0), 'neoplastic' (n=4) or 'degenerative' (n=37) disease. Dogs were categorised as having 'degenerative' (n=32) or 'non-degenerative' (n=16) liver disease for analysis due to the limited sample size. The DNN was developed using a transfer learning methodology on a pre-trained neural network that was retrained and fine-tuned to our data set. The resultant DNN had a high diagnostic accuracy for degenerative liver disease (area under the curve 0.91; sensitivity 100%; specificity 82.8%). Cytology and serum biochemical markers (alanine transaminase and aspartate transaminase) had poor diagnostic accuracy in the detection of degenerative liver disease. The DNN outperformed all the other non-invasive diagnostic tests in the detection of degenerative liver disease., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

OBJECTIVE To identify factors affecting the diagnostic quality of core needle renal biopsy specimens from dogs with suspected kidney disease. DESIGN Cross-sectional study. ANIMALS 522 client-owned dogs with suspected kidney disease for which core needle renal biopsy specimens (n = 1,089) were submitted to the International Veterinary Renal Pathology Service for evaluation and inclusion in their database. PROCEDURES Data regarding dog signalment, clinical variables, biopsy method, needle brand and gauge, biopsy results, and other variables were extracted from the database. Variables were tested for association with 3 outcomes of light microscopic evaluation of core specimens: number of glomeruli per core specimen, obtainment of < 10 glomeruli, and presence or absence of renal medullary tissue. RESULTS Number of glomeruli per core specimen was significantly associated with needle gauge, dog age, serum creatinine concentration, and degree of proteinuria, whereas biopsy method and submitting hospital were significantly associated with the presence of renal medullary tissue in specimens. Mean numbers of glomeruli per core specimen obtained with 14- or 16-gauge needles were similar, but both were significantly greater than the mean number obtained with 18-gauge needles. Needle gauge had a similar association with the likelihood of obtaining < 10 glomeruli in a core specimen. Specimens obtained via laparotomy or laparoscopic approaches more commonly contained medullary tissue than those obtained by ultrasound-guided approaches. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Overall, findings suggested that ultrasound-guided biopsy with a 16-gauge needle should maximize the diagnostic quality of renal biopsy specimens from dogs with suspected kidney disease, while avoiding potential adverse effects caused by larger needles.

Background: Canine hepatic copper content has been increasing. Recognition of canine copper-associated hepatopathies is becoming more common., Objectives: The purpose of the study was to assess the diagnostic performance of Wright-Giemsa (WG) and rhodanine staining for detection of increased canine hepatic copper following a proposed cytologic protocol for semi-quantitative evaluation of liver aspirates and the effect of previous WG staining., Methods: Retrospectively, 40 canine hepatic WG-stained cytology cases were rhodanine stained. Diagnostic performance of WG staining for increased hepatic copper was evaluated. A rhodanine-stained cytologic copper grading system was developed. Prospectively, 67 canine liver samples with quantitative copper measurement, a WG-then rhodanine-stained slide, and a non-WG rhodanine-stained slide were used to assess the performance of the grading system and the effect of previous WG staining., Results: Copper was not described in 40 retrospective cases on initial cytologic evaluation; 8/40 cases had increased copper content after rhodanine staining or quantitative copper assessment. Prior WG staining and destaining significantly affected the cytologic copper grade but not the diagnostic performance as measured by receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis. Quantitative copper concentration and previously WG-stained copper grade were moderately correlated (n = 67, ρ = .79 [.68-.87]). For detection of ≥ 600 ppm, dry weight (dw) copper, sensitivity was .75 and specificity was .97. For detection of ≥ 1500 ppm, dw copper, sensitivity was 1.0 and specificity was .97., Conclusions: Wright-Giemsa staining alone does not reliably detect hepatic copper. Grading of rhodanine-stained canine hepatic cytologic samples demonstrates acceptable diagnostic performance for detection of copper content., (© 2016 American Society for Veterinary Clinical Pathology.)

A 7-year-old female spayed Labrador Retriever was admitted to our hospital, because of cough with sputum. She was diagnosed as having canine eosinophilic pneumonia (CEP) based on blood eosinophilia, bronchial pattern and infiltrative shadow observed on thoracic radiography, bronchiolar obstruction and air-space consolidation predominantly affecting the right caudal lung lobe, as revealed by computed tomography (CT), predominant eosinophils in CT-guided fine needle aspiration and the clinical course. She exhibited a good response to steroid therapy, and the cough disappeared. The serum surfactant protein (SP)-A level increased with the aggravated symptom and decreased markedly with improvement compared with the C-reactive protein level and the number of eosinophils. We propose that serum SP-A level is a good biomarker in CEP.

A 3-year-old neutered female poodle with a long history of dermatophytic skin disease was presented with lethargy, anorexia and progressive weight loss. Abdominal ultrasonography revealed markedly enlarged mesenteric lymph nodes and multiple hypoechoic foci in the spleen. Cytology of the mesenteric lymph nodes and spleen showed granulomatous inflammation with fungal organisms and negatively stained intracytoplasmic bacterial rods consistent with Mycobacteria spp. Based on culture, multiplex polymerase chain reaction and sequence analysis, the bacterium was identified as Mycobacterium avium subspecies hominissuis. Despite treatment with antibiotics, the dog's condition deteriorated, and it died approximately 3 weeks after first presentation.

Background: Flow cytometric immunophenotyping of lymph node aspirates has become a standard practice of canine lymphoma diagnostic workup. Ultimately, the combination of flow cytometry data, histopathology, and clinical signs allows consensus classification, and improves prognostic accuracy and therapeutic approaches., Objectives: Although there is a growing body of information regarding lymphocyte population subsets in various types of lymphoma, only few studies provide information regarding the composition of the normal canine lymph node. The aim of this prospective study was to establish exploratory reference data for lymphocyte subpopulations in normal canine lymph nodes using an extended panel of antibodies., Methods: Popliteal lymph nodes excised from normal dogs were analyzed by cytology, multi-color flow cytometry using 11 different canine-specific and anti-human cross-reactive monoclonal antibodies, and polymerase chain reaction for antigen receptor rearrangement (PARR)., Results: Subpopulations from lymph nodes of 26 dogs were classified according to the following positive antibody reactions: CD11a(+) 92.2 ± 12.3%, CD3(+) 55.0 ± 14.1%, CD3-12(+) 57.3 ± 14%, CD5(+) 52.3 ± 12.7%, CD21(+) 33.9 ± 11.8%, CD79αcγ(+) 46.9 ± 14.8%, CD56(+) 4.9 ± 5.9%, and CD14(+) 5.5 ± 6.8%. There were 58.7 ± 9% CD4(+) and 21.3 ± 7.8% CD8(+) cells inside the gate of CD3(+) cells. Cytology revealed a mixed population of mostly lymphoid cells in all samples. The absence of a monoclonal or oligoclonal neoplastic population was confirmed by PARR., Conclusion: This study establishes for the first time flow cytometry data of lymphocyte populations in a larger group of normal canine lymph nodes, including populations positive for some new antibodies against CD3-12, CD5, CD11a, CD56, and CD79αcy., (© 2014 American Society for Veterinary Clinical Pathology.)

For cases requiring both a bone marrow aspirate and core biopsy, using the same needle and site (i.e., a combined technique) can decrease time, expense, and discomfort compared with the independent (direct) collection of each specimen. The benefits of the combined approach should not be achieved at the expense of specimen quality. In this study, core bone marrow samples obtained from the proximal humerus of 26 dogs by a combined technique immediately posteuthanasia were compared with core samples obtained directly from the opposite humerus. Both core samples from each dog were compared for relative overall quality. Biopsies were unsuccessful in four dogs using the combined technique and in one dog by the direct technique. Marrow length was shorter and hemorrhage artifact was more common using the combined technique. There were no differences in cellularity, megakaryocyte count, the myeloid/erythroid ratio (M/E ratio), iron stores, or diagnostic quality. Direct core biopsy remains the ideal technique; however, the degree of compromise was small in the samples obtained from the combined technique. For clinical patients, the advantages of the combined technique must continue to be weighed against potential loss of diagnostic sensitivity.

Remifentanil is a synthetic opioid with direct action on μ opioid receptors. It has an ultrashort duration of action, and its elimination is independent of hepatic or renal function. The anesthetic management of five dogs with nonuniform liver disease and requiring liver biopsy via celiotomy is described. Remifentanil and isoflurane were used for induction and maintenance of anesthesia. Intraoperative analgesia was provided by a constant rate infusion of remifentanil. Remifentanil, in combination with isoflurane, was safely and successfully used in five cases for the balanced anesthesia of dogs with hepatic diseases requiring liver biopsy via celiotomy.

Kidney biopsies in dogs are commonly obtained using automated spring-loaded biopsy instruments. Interpretation of biopsies from dogs with glomerular disease requires examination of at least 5-10 glomeruli, with at least two biopsies usually required for full evaluation. The purpose of this study was to compare quality and interpretability of renal biopsies obtained from healthy dogs with a large-gauge, vacuum-assisted biopsy instrument versus two biopsies obtained with a spring-loaded biopsy needle. Twenty dogs were randomized into two groups, and percutaneous, ultrasound-guided renal biopsies were evaluated using standard criteria. There were no significant differences in the number of biopsies that contained renal tissue, cortex, or medulla. Biopsies obtained with either instrument contained an adequate number of glomeruli and an equivalent number of arterioles and severity of tissue compression. Differences included easier penetration of the renal capsule and collection of sufficient tissue for interpretation with only one instrument pass when using the vacuum-assisted device (vs two passes required with the spring-loaded instrument). Before use in client-owned dogs, future studies should evaluate whether these differences are clinically relevant advantages in the diagnostic evaluation of dogs with kidney disease, and determine the prevalence and severity of complications when using this larger gauge device.

Due to the negative effects of urine on wound healing, the high rate of complications associated with surgical incisions in the ureter and a desire to avoid large open approaches to the abdomen, there is a strong trend in human medicine toward the use of endoscopic methods in the treatment of upper urinary tract disease. However, the small size of urogenital structures in companion animals has prevented the widespread application of endoscopy of the upper urinary tract and surgery continues to be the mainstay of treatment. Through careful decision making, veterinary surgeons now use microsurgical technique and interventional radiology to provide a high success rate. The current review will discuss complications pertaining to surgery of the kidney and ureter in companion animals, using experimental and clinical data to guide the detection and avoidance of these complications.

There is little information in veterinary literature regarding the diagnostic accuracy of aspirate cytology for the diagnosis of canine osteosarcoma (OSA). The authors compared the diagnostic accuracy of a novel method of cytologic collection, termed core aspirate cytology (CA), with fine needle aspiration (FNA) and histopathology in 27 dogs with lytic and/or proliferative bone lesions. Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) staining was performed to confirm the diagnosis of OSA cytologically. OSA was accurately diagnosed in 85% and 95% of FNA and CA, respectively. ALP staining was 100% sensitive for the diagnosis of OSA. CA using a bone marrow biopsy needle allowed for penetration of cortical bone and aspirate cytology with a larger bore needle than FNA; however, there was no significant difference in diagnostic accuracy between techniques. Aspirate cytology with ALP staining was a safe, accurate, and minimally invasive diagnostic test for the evaluation of suspected OSA lesions in dogs.

The most common hepatic procedures performed in companion animals are liver biopsies and partial or complete liver lobectomies. Although these procedures are relatively simple to perform in healthy animals, surgery in clinical patients with liver disease is often complicated by the presence of significant systemic illness or by the technical challenges associated with removing massive hepatic tumors. An in-depth understanding of the possible complications that can occur with hepatic surgery helps to provide the best possible outcome for the patient by allowing the surgeon to not only take precautions to try to prevent complications but allows one to monitor for them postoperatively and treat them early if noted.

Presence of suspected primary glomerular disease is the most common and compelling reason to consider renal biopsy. Pathologic findings in samples from animals with nephritic or nephrotic glomerulopathies, as well as from animals with persistent subclinical glomerular proteinuria that is not associated with advanced chronic kidney disease, frequently guide treatment decisions and inform prognosis when suitable specimens are obtained and examined appropriately. Ultrasound-guided needle biopsy techniques generally are satisfactory; however, other methods of locating or approaching the kidney, such as manual palpation (e.g., in cats), laparoscopy, or open surgery, also can be used. Visual assessment of the tissue content of needle biopsy samples to verify that they are renal cortex (i.e., contain glomeruli) as they are obtained is a key step that minimizes the submission of uninformative samples for examination. Adequate planning for a renal biopsy also requires prior procurement of the fixatives and preservatives needed to process and submit samples that will be suitable for electron microscopic examination and immunostaining, as well as for light microscopic evaluation. Finally, to be optimally informative, renal biopsy specimens must be processed by laboratories that routinely perform the required specialized examinations and then be evaluated by experienced veterinary nephropathologists. The pathologic findings must be carefully integrated with one another and with information derived from the clinical investigation of the patient's illness to formulate the correct diagnosis and most informative guidance for therapeutic management of the animal's glomerular disease., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Fine-needle aspirates and impression smears of cutaneous and subcutaneous lesions and lymph nodes are the most commonly submitted cytology samples from veterinary patients. Diagnostic cytology samples of these lesions are easily collected in patients without anesthesia or analgesia. Cytology can yield immediate results and may prevent the need for additional tests that use more invasive methods of sample collection. This article offers a brief review of how to collect and submit cytology samples and describes cytologic lesions that often are diagnosed in dogs and cats. When applicable, differences between disease progression in dogs and cats are described., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The safety and diagnostic value of combined splenic fine-needle aspiration (FNA) and needle core biopsy (NCB) is unknown. Forty-one dogs with splenic lesions were studied prospectively. Safety was assessed in 38 dogs and no complications were encountered. Initially, clinical and anatomic pathologists reviewed each FNA and NCB sample, respectively, without knowledge of the other's results. Diagnoses were categorized as neoplastic, benign, inflammatory, normal, or nondiagnostic. The level of agreement between sampling methods was categorized as complete, partial, disagreement, or not available. Test correlation was performed in 40 dogs. Nondiagnostic results occurred in 5/40 NCB (12.5%) and no FNA samples. Neoplasia was diagnosed in 17/40 dogs (42.5%), benign changes in 20/40 dogs (50%), inflammatory disorders in 0/40 dogs, and normal 2/40 dogs (5%). One of the 40 dogs (2.5%) had a diagnosis that was equivocal for neoplasia on both tests and therefore was not categorized. Of the 35 dogs that had diagnostic samples, cytopathologic and histopathologic diagnoses agreed completely in 18/35 dogs (51.4%), partially in 3/35 dogs (8.6%), and were in disagreement in 14/35 dogs (40.0%). Pathologists collaboratively reviewed diagnoses that were in disagreement or partial agreement and altered their individual diagnoses in 6/17 dogs (35.3%) to be within partial or complete agreement, respectively. Percutaneous FNA and NCB can be performed safely in dogs with sonographic splenic changes. Results suggest that adding NCB to FNA provides complementary information in dogs with suspected splenic neoplasia. This combined protocol may improve detection of splenic neoplasia and provide neoplastic subclassification., (© 2010 Veterinary Radiology & Ultrasound.)

Gray-scale ultrasonography is often used to screen for involvement of the liver and spleen in canine lymphoma patients but the utility of sonography for staging lymphoma has not been evaluated quantitatively. We performed abdominal sonography in 28 dogs with a confirmed diagnosis of lymphoma. Needle aspirates were obtained for cytology from three separate sites in the liver and three sites in the spleen and the sonographic appearance was noted at each site. Our hypothesis was that in dogs newly diagnosed with lymphoma, abnormal appearance of the liver or spleen on ultrasound examination is an indication that lymphoma is present in that organ. Cytologic evaluation was used as the gold standard. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy of hepatic and splenic abnormalities seen on ultrasound for diagnosis of lymphoma were 72.7%, 80.6%, 77.4%, 76.3%, and 76.8% for the liver, respectively, and 100%, 23.3%, 64.6%, 100%, and 68.1% for the spleen, respectively. Based on these results, we recommend that aspirates be performed for detection of lymphoma in the spleen of dogs only when the spleen appears abnormal ultrasonographically and that cytology of the liver be performed, regardless of ultrasonographic appearance, to determine the presence or absence of lymphoma.

While abdominal ultrasound and ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration cytology are often combined to help determine the type of liver disease in dogs, little is known about the relationship that may exist between the results of these tests. We hypothesized that specific sonographic findings, or combinations of findings, may predict results of liver ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration cytology. Hepatic and extrahepatic sonographic findings were recorded prospectively using a standardized form in 70 dogs with clinically suspected liver disease and in which liver ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration cytology was performed. The predictive value of sonographic findings in regard to the category of cytology results was assessed with stepwise logistic regression analysis. Sonographic detection of a hepatic mass (> or = 3cm; risk ratio [RR] 3.83, 95% Wald confidence intervals [95% CI] 2.42-3.93, P = 0.0036), ascites (RR 3.82, 95% CI 1.94-4.28, P = 0.0044), abnormal hepatic lymph node(s) (RR 3.01, 95% CI 1.22-4.88, P= 0.0262), and abnormal spleen (RR 3.26, 95% CI 1.20-3.85, P = 0.0274) were the most predictive of liver neoplasia on cytology. Conversely, sonographic detection of hepatic nodules (< 3cm; RR 1.97, 95% CI 0.95-2.96, P = 0.0666) was most predictive of vacuolar hepatopathy on cytology. In dogs with suspected liver disease, several sonographic findings, alone or combined, are thus predictive of liver ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration cytology results. In the light of the fact that ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration cytology of the liver has limitations, these predictabilities could influence the selection of diagnostic tests to reach a reliable diagnosis.

A scaling disorder specific to Golden Retriever dogs has been recognized by both dermatologists and pathologists, but to date has not been well characterized. At the University of Pennsylvania's Laboratory of Toxicology and Pathology, 46 cases of ichthyosis were diagnosed histologically in Golden Retriever dogs from January 2004 to January 2007. A total of 22 dogs had skin lesions documented at younger than 1 year of age; 3 dogs between 1 and 2 years of age; 13 dogs developed lesions at older than 2 years; and the time of onset was unknown for 8 dogs. A total of 25 dogs were female, and 21 were male. All dogs had strikingly similar histopathologic changes that consisted of mild to moderate laminar orthokeratotic hyperkeratosis with an absence of epidermal hyperplasia and dermal inflammation. Ultrastructural analysis using a ruthenium tetroxide fixation method was performed on punch biopsy samples from 5 dogs and compared with 2 control dogs (1 clinically and histologically normal sibling of an affected dog and 1 Cairn Terrier). All affected dogs had retained and convoluted membranes with crystalline structures in the stratum corneum. Scattered keratinocytes in the granular cell layer had prominent, clear, membrane-bound, cytoplasmic vacuoles. Pedigree analysis of 14 dogs was compatible with autosomal recessive inheritance, but incomplete dominance could not be ruled out. This unique hyperkeratotic/scaling disorder in Golden Retrievers has distinctive clinical, histologic, and ultrastructural features, which are consistent with a primary cornification defect.

Canine atopic dermatitis (AD) is a pruritic skin condition that shares many clinical and pathophysiological features with its human counterpart. A major therapeutic challenge of AD is the control of the skin inflammatory process. A detailed knowledge of the pro-inflammatory molecules involved in cell recruitment in AD would allow for a better control of the disease. We thus have studied the protein expression of P-selectin, ICAM-1 and TNF-alpha in the lesional and non-lesional skin of atopic dogs that had been treated for bacterial infections. Despite a low-to-mild inflammatory process, P-selectin protein was clearly upregulated in the lesional skin areas when compared with non-lesional skin (four-fold average increase). This P-selectin upregulation was accompanied by signs of functional changes such as increased cell margination, and membrane-associated protein expression. Although the expression of ICAM-1 and TNF-alpha was not enhanced in the lesional versus the non-lesional skin, there was a trend towards a correlated upregulation of both molecules. Further studies will help elucidate the significance of the substantial overexpression of P-selectin in canine AD, in particular in a scenario where bacterial antigens are not contributing as pro-inflammatory stimuli.

The aim of this study was to describe the technique of laparoscopic ultrasonography in six dogs with intra-abdominal disease. Investigation of the abdominal cavity was undertaken initially in each dog by laparoscopy alone. After exploration and visualization of a diseased organ, a 7.5 MHz microconvex ultrasound probe was introduced into the abdomen through a laparoscopic cannula for videoguided ultrasound examination. Laparoscopic ultrasonography allows core biopsy or needle aspiration to be performed by guiding the needle into nonsuperficial lesions, where videoendoscopic guidance alone is not enough. In addition, color Doppler ultrasonography is useful to examine the vascular pattern to minimize or eliminate complications when a biopsy is performed.

Objectives: To compare the volume of hemorrhage, number of lobules, and portal triads available for histologic evaluation, and resultant collateral damage between 5 hepatic biopsy methods: biopsy punch, biopsy needle, ligature method, laparoscopic biopsy forceps, and ultrasonically activated scalpel (UAS)., Study Design: Experimental, repeated measures, block., Animals: Twelve adult dogs., Methods: Biopsies were obtained from the periphery and center of the left lateral liver lobe of each dog using each of 5 biopsy techniques. Hemorrhage was quantified and compared between methods and sites. Biopsy samples were evaluated histologically to characterize collateral damage and determine the number of lobules and portal triads sampled., Results: Regardless of technique, liver biopsy resulted in minimal hemorrhage (<2 mL). For peripheral biopsies, UAS was comparable with the ligature method, but caused significantly less hemorrhage than all other methods, whereas for central biopsies, UAS caused significantly less hemorrhage than other methods. Except for the laparoscopic biopsy forceps, UAS caused significantly more collateral damage than other methods. UAS and ligature biopsy methods yielded specimens that had more portal triads per sample than other methods. Eight of 48 biopsy needle samples were inadequate for histologic evaluation, whereas other methods yielded adequate specimens., Conclusions: All biopsy methods produced minimal hemorrhage and except for needle biopsy yielded adequate tissue samples for histologic evaluation., Clinical Relevance: Use of UAS is a reliable, safe alternative technique for liver biopsy and can be used laparoscopically to obtain large tissue samples.

Our objective was to evaluate possible differences in the number of glomeruli and length of renal biopsies collected in canine subjects by two different types of biopsy needles: a semiautomatic 18-gauge Trucut and an automated 18-gauge Jamshidi modified (Biopince). One hundred biopsy samples obtained from dogs of different ages and gender affected by different nephropathies were evaluated retrospectively. All animals were biopsied using one of the two different needles. Biopsies were performed under ultrasound guidance and evaluated by a single pathologist. Statistical analysis was performed to evaluate possible differences in the number of glomeruli and length of renal biopsies collected comparisons were determined between subgroups of dogs with or without the identification of renal interstitial infiltrates and/or fibrosis. Neither the mean difference of the number of glomeruli nor the length of tissue sample collected with the different needles was significantly different. Likewise, the average biopsy length did not differ in dogs with or without renal interstitial infiltrate in animals biopsied with either biopsy needle. Both the Biopince and the Trucut devices provide diagnostically adequate biopsy renal specimens using ultrasound-guidance.

Five female Doberman Pinschers with increased hepatic copper concentrations and persistent (3-4 years) subclinical hepatitis were treated with D-penicillamine for 4 months. Before and after treatment, the dogs underwent clinical, hematologic (red blood cell, white blood cell, and differential and thrombocyte counts), and clinical chemistry (creatinine, alkaline phosphatase, alanine aminotransferase, and total bile acid concentrations) examinations, and liver biopsies were examined histologically and their copper content measured quantitatively. No adverse effects were observed during treatment, and CBC and serum chemistry test results did not change. The mean liver copper concentration was 1,036 mg/kg dry matter before treatment and decreased to 407 mg/kg after treatment (P = .03). The copper concentrations had decreased (by between 134 and 1,135 mg/kg dry matter) in all of the dogs. The histopathologic appearance had improved or returned to normal in all 5 dogs. We conclude that D-penicillamine effectively reduced copper retention in these dogs and improved the histopathologic appearance of the lesions. However, because D-penicillamine has both copper-chelating and anti-inflammatory properties, it is not possible to draw conclusions on the etiology of this disease.

Four different needles were evaluated for percutaneous needle biopsy (PNB) of the synovial membrane (SM) in six different joints (carpus, tarsus, elbow, shoulder, stifle, hip) from eight dog cadavers. Needle biopsies were retrieved with the Parker-Pearson (PP), a novel modified Parker-Pearson (PPM), the Tru-Cut (TC), and the Franklin-Silverman (FS) needles. The success rate of PNB to produce biopsies, of adequate histological quality, was assessed for each needle type and joint. The joints were subsequently surgically opened and standard open SM biopsies were harvested from an adjacent area. The articular cartilage was inspected and graded for damage caused by PNB sampling. The length of the intact synovial lining cell layer (SLCL) and the histological quality of the needle biopsies were compared to the open surgical biopsies. Success rates for the different needles were 49.2% (PPM), 37.5% (PP), 26.7% (TC), and 1.7% (FS). The highest success rates were achieved in the carpus and stifle; the lowest success rate was found in the hip joint. The intact SLCL from the PNB samples was an average of 3.4 times shorter than that of the surgical biopsies. The proportion of the samples with adequate histological quality was 81% for open surgical biopsies and 62% for PNB samples. The FS was found to produce the highest incidence of articular cartilage damage. The application of PNB for SM sampling is a valuable alternative to the open surgical biopsy in dogs. Modifications of the Parker Pearson needle by Arassy and Schumacher and novel modifications introduced by the authors, offer encouraging results, and merit further clinical and research investigations.

Percutaneous fine-needle biopsy was used to investigate thoracic and abdominal masses in the dog and cat. One hundred and thirty-two cases were included in the study; 20 cases were excluded from the comparative study due to poor cellularity or blood contamination (retrieval rate 86.8 per cent). One hundred samples (56 dogs and 44 cats) were classified by cytology as neoplastic. All the cytological diagnoses of neoplasia were confirmed by histological samples obtained either by non-surgical methods, at surgery or during postmortem examination. No false positive diagnoses of neoplasia were made. Thirty-two samples were cytologically classified as 'negative for neoplasia'. Subsequent histological examination revealed 18 true negative and 14 false negative results. The procedure had an overall 89.4 per cent (118 cases out of 132) agreement between the diagnosis of inflammatory disease versus neoplasia, with a sensitivity of 87.8 per cent, a specificity of 100 per cent, a predictive value of a positive test of 100 per cent and a predictive value of a negative test of 56.3 per cent.

In humans, free-hand computed tomography (CT)-guided biopsy is an accurate method to obtain a tissue sample. There are only a few reports of this technique in veterinary medicine. In the present study, 21 dogs and two cats underwent a free-hand CT-guided tissue-core biopsy (17 animals) or fine-needle aspiration (six animals) of a bone lesion. Two out of 17 tissue-core samples were also cultured. All 17 tissue-core biopsy samples were diagnostic (accuracy of 100%). Five out of six aspirates were diagnostic (accuracy of 83.3%). The overall accuracy was 95.7%. In one aspirate, cytologic quality was insufficient containing only blood. No major complications were encountered. Fourteen neoplastic, two infectious and six benign lesions were diagnosed. CT examination after intravenous contrast medium added useful information to avoid large vessels and to biopsy-viable tissue. Free-hand CT-guided tissue-core biopsy and aspiration appears to be a safe and very accurate procedure for use in the diagnosis of bone-associated diseases in small animals.

The case history of a four-year-old, male Bernese mountain dog is presented. Carcinoma cells were detected in the liver by ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration. Bone marrow aspirated from the iliac crest and the left femur showed a distinct infiltration by carcinoma cells. Immunocytological examination of the liver and bone marrow metastases showed a negative staining result for large spectrum cytokeratin (CK) KL1, a strong positive result for CK7 and a focal weak positive result for CK20. The dog was euthanased due to the grave prognosis. Histopathological examination revealed metastatic cholangiocarcinoma. The authors conclude that cytological and immunocytological examination of bone marrow aspirates should be used more frequently for the detection of distant metastases of carcinomas in small animal medicine.

A male mixed breed dog of unknown age was presented with sudden onset of blindness and a slightly exophthalmic right eye. Ophthalmoscopically, a spherical, pinkish mass protruding from the region of the optic disc into the vitreous was seen in the right eye. Ultrasound and computer tomography demonstrated an extension of the mass into the right retrobulbar space, continuing intracranially to the optic chiasm. Cytologic findings, obtained by ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration from the retrobulbar space, were consistent with myxosarcoma. On the basis of these findings of a well-delineated mass in the brain stem area, irradiation was planned as the therapy of choice. The dog was treated under general anesthesia using a proton beam at the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI, Villigen, Switzerland). A curative protocol (56 Gy in 16 fractions over 4 weeks, 3.5 Gy/fraction) was used. Twenty-seven days post radiation therapy the dog was euthanized, as clinical symptoms progressed. Enlargement of the intracranial tumor was seen on a CT study repeated on the day of euthanasia. A gross pathologic and histologic examination were performed and confirmed the diagnosis of a myxosarcoma involving the eye, retrobulbar space of the right side, and the optic chiasm. Post-mortem examination failed to identify any abnormalities or metastases elsewhere in the body.

Twenty-four canine cutaneous nodules, diagnosed as mast cell tumors by fine-needle aspiration biopsy and confirmed by histopathologic analysis by staining with hematoxylin and eosin (HE) and toluidine blue, were analyzed by computerized nuclear morphometry on panoptic- and HE-stained cytopathology slides. Two hundred nuclei per lesion were examined. The morphometric parameters investigated were nuclear area, mean diameter, perimeter, regularity factor, and ellipticity factor. Lesions were graded as I (well differentiated), II (intermediate differentiation), or III (poorly differentiated) according to the following morphologic features: invasiveness, cellularity and cellular morphology, mitotic index, and stromal reaction. Nuclear morphometric results were then compared with histopathologic grades. Values of nuclear area, mean diameter, and perimeter increased with increase in histopathologic grade, but statistical analysis revealed significant differences only between grades II and III and between grades I and III when HE was used (P < 0.01) and between grades I and III with panoptic stain (P < 0.05). The ellipticity factor and regularity factor did not reveal significant differences between histopathologic grades. The results indicate that nuclear morphometric analysis, in combination with the rapid and inexpensive cytopathology technique, can help in mast cell tumor grading, thus contributing to the establishment of a more precise prognosis and treatment.

The appropriate diagnosis and treatment of patients with cancer are most correctly made through the cooperative efforts of a team of specialists, including an oncologist, surgeon, and pathologist. Preoperative determination of the tumor type and histologic grade, extent of the mass, and the patient's health status will result in the most comprehensive course of action. Diagnosis and staging of the tumor are paramount to preparing an optimal treatment plan. To ensure the best possible outcome, the preoperative, surgical, and postoperative plan should be customized to the individual cancer patient and their owner while following given guidelines. This article describes the basic principals for evaluation and operative management of the surgical oncology patient.

FNA of renal tissue is a rapid and noninvasive diagnostic tool that can be optimized by a thorough understanding of renal diseases, anatomy, and the ultrasonographic appearance of lesions likely to exfoliate for cytology. Signalment, history, and ancillary laboratory tests can narrow the list of differential diagnoses and help to determine whether cytologic evaluation will be sufficient or whether tissue architecture is needed for a definitive diagnosis. Renal cytology is particularly useful for the diagnosis of inflammation and neoplasia, including abscesses, FIP, mycotic infections, lymphoma, carcinoma, and metastatic neoplasia.