Concurrence between clinical and pathologic diagnoses in a veterinary medical teaching hospital: 623 cases (1989 and 1999).
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether there was a decline in the percentage of dogs undergoing necropsies and whether there was substantial agreement or disagreement between clinical and pathologic diagnoses.


METHODS
Retrospective study.


METHODS
623 dogs.


METHODS
Medical records of hospitalized dogs that died or were euthanatized and necropsied at a veterinary teaching hospital in 1989 and 1999 were reviewed. Clinical and pathologic diagnoses were recorded and compared.


RESULTS
There was a significant decline in the necropsy rate of hospitalized dogs that died or were euthanatized in 1999, compared with 1989. In both 1989 and 1999, there was disagreement between the clinical and pathologic diagnoses in approximately a third of the cases.


CONCLUSIONS
Despite improved diagnostic methods, the accuracy of diagnosis did not improve significantly in 1999, compared with 1989. Necropsy is the best method to assess overall diagnostic accuracy. Increased availability of teaching funds may promote efforts to have necropsies performed in veterinary teaching hospitals.
Kent
Michael S
MS
Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
Lucroy
Michael D
MD
Dank
Gillian
G
Lehenbauer
Terry W
TW
Madewell
Bruce R
BR
D000818:Animals; D001344:Autopsy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000662:veterinary*; D002140:California; D002423:Cause of Death; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D003951:Diagnostic Errors / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends / Q000662:veterinary*; D004285:Dogs; D004520:Education, Veterinary / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006762:Hospitals, Animal / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies