Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Flow cytometry to diagnose hemophagocytic disorders in dogs
By Weiss, Douglas J·Published in Veterinary clinical pathology·2002·Department of Veterinary PathoBiology, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Flow cytometric evaluation of hemophagocytic disorders in canine.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of dogs with blood disorders were evaluated to determine if a special test called flow cytometry could help tell the difference between a serious condition called malignant histiocytosis and a less severe one known as benign hemophagocytic syndrome. The study looked at bone marrow samples from these dogs and found that the number and type of certain cells could indicate whether the condition was malignant or benign. This could help veterinarians make better diagnoses and treatment plans for dogs with these disorders.
People also search for: dog blood disorder symptoms · malignant histiocytosis in dogs · benign hemophagocytic syndrome treatment
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Hemophagocytic macrophages in canine bone marrow are observed in malignant histiocytosis as well as benign hemophagocytic histiocytosis. Cytomorphologic evaluation alone may be inadequate to consistently differentiate between benign and malignant forms of hemophagocytic disorders. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the ability of flow cytometry and immunophenotyping to differentiate between benign and malignant types of hemophagocytic disorders in dogs. METHODS: Blood smears and bone marrow differential cell counts were evaluated for 10 dogs with hemophagocytic disorders. Bone marrow samples were labeled with monoclonal antibodies to CD18, MCH class-II, Thy-1, CD14, CD3, and CD21. Using flow cytometry, forward-angle versus side-angle light scatter plots were analyzed and immunophenotypes were determined. RESULTS: Scatter plots from 3 dogs with a necropsy diagnosis of malignant histiocytosis revealed 2 atypical cell clusters. One cluster contained cells of similar size or larger than immature myeloid cells and metamyelocytes. Cells in the other cluster were highly granular, with granularity similar to or greater than that of metamyelocytes. In bone marrow from dogs with malignant histiocytosis that was labeled with anti-CD14 antibody, macrophages represented 29-48% of nucleated cells. Seven dogs had a clinical or histopathologic diagnosis of benign hemophagocytic syndrome. Three of the dogs had normal cell distribution in scatter plots. Two dogs had 2 abnormal cell clusters: 1 within the immature myeloid and metamyelocyte gates and the other with granularity similar to or greater than that of metamyelocytes. The remaining 2 dogs had an atypical cell population, mostly within the immature myeloid gate. For dogs with benign hemophagocytic syndromes, 6-17% of cells in the bone marrow were CD14 positive. CONCLUSIONS: The cellular distribution in scatter plots and the total number of macrophages in bone marrow may be useful in differentiating malignant histiocytosis from benign hemophagocytic syndromes in dogs.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12019478/