Diagnostic accuracy of ultrasonography to detect hepatic and splenic lymphomatous infiltration in dogs and cats.

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: To determine the diagnostic accuracy of ultrasonography in the detection of lymphomatous infiltration of the liver and spleen in a population of dogs and cats with lymphoma. To determine if specific ultrasonographic features of the liver and spleen in dogs are associated with lymphomatous infiltration or a specific immunophenotype of multi-centric lymphoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A blinded retrospective evaluation of ultrasonographic images of the liver and/or spleen in dogs and cats with cytologically or histologically confirmed lymphoma was performed by two board-certified veterinary radiologists. RESULTS: A total of 161 animals met the inclusion criteria, comprising 132 dogs and 29 cats. Ultrasonography had a sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of 16.7%, 91.0%, 55.9%, 62.5% and 55.0% for the detection of lymphomatous infiltration of the liver, and 73.1%, 93.9%, 82.6%, 93.4% and 74.7% for the spleen. In dogs, an ultrasonographically normal liver was associated with not having lymphomatous infiltration, leopard-spotted splenic parenchyma and splenomegaly were independently associated with lymphomatous infiltration and leopard-spotted splenic parenchyma was also associated with the B cell immunophenotype of multi-centric lymphoma. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Ultrasonography of the spleen and liver is specific but not sensitive in the detection of lymphomatous infiltration. A leopard-spotted splenic parenchyma in dogs is highly specific for lymphomatous infiltration and in this population predicted a specific immunophenotype of multi-centric lymphoma.