Comparison of fine-needle aspiration and surgical-tissue biopsy in the diagnosis of canine brain tumors.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the diagnoses obtained using fine-needle aspiration (FNA) and surgical-tissue biopsy of focal cerebral masses with the histologic diagnoses obtained via necropsy.


METHODS
A prospective case series.


METHODS
Ten client-owned adult dogs of various breeds. All dogs had clinical signs of cerebral disease and had a focal brain mass identified using magnetic resonance imaging; all were eventually euthanatized.


METHODS
Immediately after euthanasia, the brains were removed en bloc from the cranial cavity. FNAs were obtained from each mass using a 22-gauge hypodermic needle and a 12-mL syringe. Cytologic preparations were made from each aspirate. A 14-gauge Tru-cut biopsy needle was used to obtain a core tissue sample from each mass. The biopsy specimens were fixed in 10% buffered formalin and submitted for histologic evaluation. The brains were similarly fixed and stained. Six-micrometer-thick transverse sections of the brain were examined microscopically.


RESULTS
Neoplasia was confirmed in all dogs histologically in the 6-microm transverse sections. Four meningiomas, 2 astrocytomas, 2 oligodendrogliomas, 1 pituitary adenocarcinoma, and 1 neurofibrosarcoma were identified. FNA correctly identified all of the masses as neoplastic. Cytologic diagnoses correlated with the histologic interpretation in 5 of the masses (50%). Tru-cut biopsy specimens identified all 10 masses as neoplastic; in 9 of the 10 (90%), the diagnosis correlated with the histologic diagnosis.


CONCLUSIONS
FNA is a sensitive method that can be used to determine the presence of neoplasia in the brain, but is not as definitive as the Tru-cut biopsy in determining the specific type of cerebral neoplasm.
Platt
Simon R
SR
Center for Small Animal Studies, The Animal Health Trust, Lanwades Park, Kentford, Newmarket, Suffolk CB8 7UU, England.
Alleman
A Rick
AR
Lanz
Otto I
OI
Chrisman
Cheryl L
CL
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary; D000818:Animals; D001254:Astrocytoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary; D001707:Biopsy, Needle / Q000592:standards / Q000662:veterinary*; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000662:veterinary; D008297:Male; D008579:Meningioma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary; D018319:Neurofibrosarcoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary; D009837:Oligodendroglioma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests