title: [Congenital embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma of the head in a red and white German Holstein calf].
abstract: Tumours with skeletal-muscle differentiation are rare in companion animals. They are differentiated into benign rhabdomyomas and malignant rhabdomyosarcomas. A female German Holstein calf displayed a congenital, spherical, subcutaneous mass at the lateral side of the head. Histology revealed an encapsulated, expansile, highly cellular mass consisting of a reticular meshwork of moderately pleomorphic, small spindle-shaped to round cells within a fibrovascular to myxoid stroma as well as multifocal, large, blunt, multinucleated myotube-like cells (strap cells). Electron microscopy demonstrated characteristic cytoplasmic bundles of myofilaments and Z-stripes within the strap cells. Immunoreactivity for vimentin was observed in the small spindle-shaped cells and for desmin in the strap cells. The results are consistent with the spectrum of findings characteristic for a bovine congenital embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma.
authors.affiliation: Dr. med. vet. Reiner Ulrich, Ph.D., Institut für Pathologie, Tierärztliche Hochschule Hannover, Bünteweg 17, 30559 Hannover, E-Mail: reiner.ulrich@tiho-hannover.de.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ulrich
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Buck
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Distl
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wohlsein
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D002417:Cattle; D037901:Euthanasia, Animal; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000151:congenital / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D018233:Rhabdomyosarcoma, Embryonal / Q000151:congenital / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*
keywords: Bovine; electron microscopy; histology; immunohistology; neoplasia; skeletal muscle