Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Using computer analysis to tell benign from malignant dog mammary
By Simeonov, Radostin & Simeonova, Galina·Published in Veterinary clinical pathology·2006·Department of General and Clinical Pathology of Animals·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Computerized morphometry of mean nuclear diameter and nuclear roundness in canine mammary gland tumors on cytologic smears.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A study looked at how the size and shape of cells in mammary tumors from dogs could help tell if the tumors are benign (not cancerous) or malignant (cancerous). Researchers used computer analysis on samples from normal mammary glands and different types of tumors. They found that the size of the cell nuclei (the part of the cell that contains DNA) was significantly different between benign and malignant tumors, which could help vets make better decisions before surgery. This method could be a useful tool for diagnosing mammary tumors in dogs.
People also search for: dog mammary tumor diagnosis · canine breast cancer signs · how to tell if a dog tumor is cancerous
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The use of computer-based image analysis systems in veterinary oncology has increased. Computerized morphometry is a part of image analysis that describes geometric figures of cellular structures in any dimension. Most investigators have performed morphometric analysis on histologic specimens. Computer-assisted nuclear cytomorphometry can provide important preoperative information on neoplastic lesions in animals. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to define whether the morphometric parameters of mean nuclear diameter and nuclear roundness could be used to differentiate benign from malignant canine mammary gland tumors on cytologic specimens. METHODS: Mean nuclear diameter and nuclear roundness were determined by computer-assisted morphometry of epithelial cells in Hemacolor-stained cytologic smears from normal canine mammary gland (n = 7) and from canine mammary adenomas (n = 8), tubulopapillary carcinomas (n = 9), and solid carcinomas (n = 6). Data were analyzed by the Mann-Whitney U test. RESULTS: Significant differences (P <.001) were found in mean nuclear diameter and nuclear roundness among all tumor types and in comparison with normal canine mammary gland epithelial cells (except for nuclear roundness between tubulopapillary carcinomas and solid carcinomas). CONCLUSIONS: The morphometric parameters of mean nuclear diameter and nuclear roundness can be used in the preoperative differentiation of benign from malignant canine mammary gland tumors.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16511796/