title: Peripheral primitive neuroectodermal tumour in a dog.
abstract: A 1-year-old German shepherd dog was presented with paraparesis quickly progressing to paraplegia. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a large mass beneath the thoracolumbar vertebral column infiltrating the spinal canal and resulting in severe extradural compression of the spinal cord. Microscopically, this comprised a cell-rich unencapsulated tumour supported by fine bands of a fibrovascular stroma and occasionally forming primitive rosettes. Immunohistochemistry showed the tumour cells to express synaptophysin and neuron-specific enolase. Ultrastructurally, the neoplastic cells had low to moderate numbers of intracytoplasmic neurosecretory granules. A peripheral primitive neuroectodermal tumour was diagnosed. This is a rare embryonal tumour of neural origin that may have arisen from adrenal medulla, autonomic ganglia or peripheral nerves.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Bünteweg 17, D-30559 Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Junginger
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Röthlisberger
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lehmbecker
authors.forename: V M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Stein
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Ludwig
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Baumgärtner
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Seehusen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000473:pathology; D004285:Dogs; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D018241:Neuroectodermal Tumors, Primitive, Peripheral / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D013120:Spinal Cord Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*
keywords: dog; immunohistochemistry; peripheral primitive neuroectodermal tumour; spinal cord