Accuracy of ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration of the liver and cytologic findings in dogs and cats: 97 cases (1990-2000).

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the accuracy of ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration of the liver and cytologic findings in dogs and cats.

DESIGN

Retrospective study.

ANIMALS

56 dogs and 41 cats.

PROCEDURE

Medical records of dogs and cats evaluated from 1990 to 2000 by use of cytologic and histopathologic examination of the liver were reviewed. Histologic and cytologic diagnoses were categorized as vacuolar hepatopathy, inflammation, neoplasia, cirrhosis, primary cholestasis, shunt, normal, and other.

RESULTS

Overall agreement between the histopathologic diagnosis and cytologic diagnosis was found in 17 of the 56 (30.3%) canine cases and 21 of the 41 (51.2%) feline cases. Vacuolar hepatopathy was the category with the highest percentage of agreement. Vacuolar hepatopathy was identified via cytologic examination in 7 of 11 and 15 of 18 dogs and cats, respectively, in which histopathologic examination revealed that it was the predominant disease process. However, it was also the category that was most commonly misdiagnosed via cytologic examination. Inflammatory disease was accurately identified cytologically in 5 of 20 and 3 of 11 dogs and cats, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Acknowledging the limitations of cytology and the extent of discrepancies between cytologic and histopathologic findings in dogs and cats will help clinicians make better decisions in diagnosing liver disease.