Interobserver variation among histopathologic evaluations of intestinal tissues from dogs and cats.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether substantial interobserver variation exists among diagnostic pathologists for descriptions of intestinal mucosal cell populations and whether histopathologic descriptions accurately predict when a patient does not have clinically evident intestinal disease.


METHODS
Comparative survey. Sample Population-14 histologic slides of duodenal, ileal, or colonic tissue from 10 dogs and 3 cats.


METHODS
Each histologic slide was evaluated independently by 5 pathologists at 4 institutions. Pathologists, who had no knowledge of the tissues' origin, indicated whether slides were adequate for histologic evaluation and whether the tissue was normal or abnormal. They also identified the main infiltrating cell type in specimens that were considered abnormal, and whether infiltrates were mild, moderate, severe, or neoplastic.


RESULTS
Quality of all slides was considered adequate or superior by at least 4 of the 5 pathologists. For intensity of mucosal cellular infiltrates, there was uniformity of opinion for 1 slide, near-uniformity for 6 slides, and nonuniformity for 7 slides. Five dogs did not have clinical evidence of intestinal disease, yet the pathologists' descriptions indicated that their intestinal tissue specimens were abnormal.


CONCLUSIONS
Substantial interobserver variation was detected. Standardization of pathologic descriptions of intestinal tissue is necessary for meaningful comparisons with published articles. Clinicians must be cautious about correlating clinical signs and histopathologic descriptions of intestinal biopsy specimens.
Willard
Michael D
MD
Department of Small Animal Medicine and Surgery, College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas AM University, College Station 77843-44744, USA.
Jergens
Albert E
AE
Duncan
Robert B
RB
Leib
Michael S
MS
McCracken
Malcolm D
MD
DeNovo
Robert C
RC
Helman
Rowland G
RG
Slater
Margaret R
MR
Harbison
Jacque L
JL
D000818:Animals; D001706:Biopsy / Q000662:veterinary; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D002415:Cats; D003106:Colon / Q000473:pathology; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D004285:Dogs; D004386:Duodenum / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007082:Ileum / Q000473:pathology; D007410:Intestinal Diseases / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000166:cytology / Q000473:pathology*; D015588:Observer Variation; D010341:Pathology, Veterinary / Q000592:standards*; D011786:Quality Control; D013048:Specimen Handling