Diagnostic cytology of the canine spleen: review of 10-year-period cases of the Department of Veterinary Pathology of the University of Zagreb

Citološka pretraga je minimalno invazivna, brza i jeftina dijagnostička metoda kojom određujemo tipove stanica i staničnih populacija uzorkovanog tkiva. Tijekom uzimanja uzoraka i njihove obrade često može doći do pojave kontaminacija uzoraka i određenih greški u obradi što rezultira pojavom artefakata. Njihovom pojavom, fiziološke stanice mogu strukturno izgledati drukčije što može dovesti do zablude da se radi o promjenjenim, neoplastičnim stanicama ili mogu sakriti uzročnike infekcije te posljedično dovode do krive interpretacije uzorka i dijagnoze. Danas, s napredovanjem tehnologije i sve jeftinijim i dostupnijim ultrazvučnim aparatima, sve se češće uzorkuju unutarnji organi među kojim je i slezena. Zbog oskudnosti podataka o kvaliteti citoloških uzoraka i sve veće popularnosti citološke pretrage u veterini, cilj ovog rada bio je utvrditi kvalitetu citoloških uzoraka slezene pasa i dobivenih dijagnoza obrađenih na Zavodu za Veterinarsku patologiju u razdoblju od 2009. do 2020. godine. Za potrebe izrade ovog diplomskog rada, detaljno su pregledani arhivski podaci i preparati Zavoda za Veterinarsku patologiju Veterinarskog fakulteta Sveučilišta u Zagrebu. Parametri koji su se mikroskopski procjenjivali bili su tip razmaza, broj i očuvanost eritrocita i nuklearnih stanica, distribucija nuklearnih stanica po uzorku, prisutnost kontaminacija i artefakata te prisutnost aglomerata stanica. Od 124 citoloških uzoraka dobivenih pretraživanjem baze podataka, 112 citoloških uzoraka udovoljavalo je početnim parametrima pretrage. Svi uzorci koji su ušli u ovo istraživanje uzeti su metodom biopsije iglom s ili bez aspiracije sadržaja. Tek 10 stakalaca (10/537, 2%) bilo je linearnog tipa razmaza, dok su sva ostala bila standardnog oblika s klasičnim pernim krajevima (523/537, 97%). U većini slučajeva brojnost eritrocita ocjenjena je najvišom ocjenom i bili su vrlo dobre očuvanosti. Nuklearnih stanica je uglavnom bilo vrlo malo, ali dobre očuvanosti. U 58 uzoraka (62%) nuklearne stanice su bile ravnomjerno raspršene po cijeloj površini preparata, 20 uzoraka (21%) je imalo obilnu akumulaciju na svim rubovima, a u jednom uzorku (1%) su se sve nuklearne stanice smjestile na vrhovima pernih krajeva. U ostalih 15 uzoraka (16%) stanice su se našle raspršene po središtu. Artefakti su pronađeni u ukupno 64 uzoraka (64/94, 68%), a kontaminanti u 72 uzoraka (72/94, 77%). Od 112 uzoraka, 27 ih je dijagnosticirano s neoplastičnim promjenama (24%), 40 uzoraka (35%) neneoplastičnim promjenama i 25 uzorka (22%) bili su fiziološkog nalaza. Ostalih 20 uzoraka (19%) nisu imali zabilježene podatke o citološkoj dijagnozi ili je uz opis preparata dano samo mišljenje.During sampling and sample processing there is a possibility of sample contamination and production of artifacts. These structures can interfere with cytological assessment by changing the appearance of tissue cells which can be erroneously interpreted as neoplastic cells or they can opscure or mimic infectious agents thus creating confusion and leading to potentially wrong diagnosis. With the advancement of technology, ultrasonographic examination has greatly enhanced the ability to sample organs in body cavities like the spleen. Nowadays there is a growing use of cytology in veterinary medicine, but there is scarce data about the quality of cytology samples. For this reason, the objective of this study was to determine the quality of cytology samples of the canine spleen and obtained diagnose processed at the Department of Veterinary Pathology of the University of Zagreb from 2009 to 2020. For the purposes of this thesis, we examined in detail the archived data and samples stored in the Department of Veterinary Pathology of the University of Zagreb. Parameters that were microscopically evaluated were smear type, number and morphology of erythrocytes and nucleated cells, distribution of nucleated cells in the smear, presence of contaminants, artifacts and cell agglomerates. The database was searched and we obtained 124 cytology samples of which 112 samples were included in the study. All the samples were obtained with fine needle biopsy with or without aspiration. Only 10 (10/537, 2%) smears were line smears, all other were standard smears with feathered edges (523/537, 97%). Erythrocytes were mostly really numerous and they had high morphology scores. Nucleated cells in most cases were really low in number, but with very good preservation of morphology. In 58 samples (62%) nucleated cells were equally distributed, in 20 samples (21%) they were mostly on the edge and in one sample (1%) they were all on the feathered edges. In the other 15 samples (16%) they were predominantly in the middle. Artifacts were found in 64 samples (64/94, 68%) and contaminants in 72 samples (72/94, 77%). Of 112 samples, 27 were cytologically diagnosed as neoplastic (24%), 40 (35%) as nonneoplastic and 25 (22%) were classified as normal. Diagnosis was unavailable for 20 samples (19%)