Distribution of feline lymphoma in the central and peripheral nervous systems.
In cats, lymphoma (lymphosarcoma) is the most common neoplasm affecting the spinal cord and the second most common intracranial tumour. Although lymphoma commonly develops in the spinal cord as a part of a multicentric process, a primary form may occur. Lymphoma can exhibit a wide range of morphological patterns, including intraparenchymal brain mass, lymphomatosis cerebri, intravascular lymphoma, lymphomatous choroiditis and meningitis, extradural, intradural-extramedullary or intramedullary lymphoma in the spinal cord, or neurolymphomatosis in the peripheral nerves. Lymphoma may occur as a paraneoplastic disorder associated with peripheral neuropathies. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) are the techniques of choice for morphological assessment of nervous system lesions in vivo. However, biopsy should be performed to achieve a definitive diagnosis. Knowledge of the different morphological patterns expressed by lymphoma in the nervous system of cats allows veterinary clinicians to suspect lymphoma and to arrange appropriate diagnostic procedures, including immunophenotype and clonality studies, along with therapeutic protocols and prognostic evaluations.
Department of Veterinary Medicine, Neuropathology Laboratory, University of Perugia, Via S. Costanzo 4, Perugia 06126, Italy. Electronic address: mandara@unipg.it.
Maria Teresa
MT
Mandara
ChesterGates Veterinary Specialists, Gates Lane, Telford Court, Unit E/F, Chester CH1 6LT, United Kingdom.
Luca
L
Motta
Europa Veterinary Clinic, Via Kassel 18, Firenze 50126, Italy.
Pietro
P
Calò
D000818:Animals; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D002415:Cats; D002493:Central Nervous System Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000662:veterinary; D010523:Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000662:veterinary
Distribution; Feline; Lymphoma; Nervous system