Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Comparison of bronchoalveolar lavage cytospins and smears in dogs and cats.
- Journal:
- Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association
- Year:
- 2008
- Authors:
- Dehard, Sandrine et al.
- Affiliation:
- Department of Clinical Sciences
Plain-English summary
Researchers looked at two different ways to prepare samples from the lungs of dogs and cats with respiratory issues to see which method gives clearer results. They found that using a method called cytospin preparation (CP) produced better quality samples than a manual smearing method (MSP). In particular, CP showed a higher percentage of a type of white blood cell called neutrophils, which can indicate inflammation or infection. The study suggests that if a sample has a low total cell count, using the cytospin method is recommended for more accurate results. Overall, the cytospin preparation method is preferred for evaluating lung fluid in pets with respiratory problems.
Abstract
Differences in the cytological interpretation of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) after cytospin preparation (CP) or manual smearing of pelleted cells preparation (MSP) were investigated in client-owned dogs and cats with inflammatory or infectious lower respiratory disease. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from healthy cats was also examined. With MSP, cell lysis was more frequently observed, and cellular distribution was more heterogeneous throughout the slide. When samples from healthy and diseased animals were considered together, a significantly greater percentage of neutrophils was seen on CP than on MSP slides (P<0.002). Cytospin preparations were considered of better quality in all individual comparisons. Cytospin preparation is advised in the evaluation of BALF with low total cell count. When only MSPs are evaluated, clinicians should be aware that differential neutrophil counts may underestimate the counts found on CP slides.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18981193/