Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
The perceived and actual diagnostic utility of veterinary cytological samples.
- Journal:
- The Journal of small animal practice
- Year:
- 2009
- Authors:
- Skeldon, N & Dewhurst, E
- Affiliation:
- Axiom Veterinary Laboratories Ltd · United Kingdom
Plain-English summary
This study looked at how useful cytology samples, which are tests that examine cells from a pet, are in diagnosing health issues in animals. Researchers reviewed nearly 1,000 samples sent to a veterinary lab and found that only about 23% provided a specific diagnosis, while 35% gave some kind of cytological diagnosis. They also noted that a significant number of samples were not acceptable for testing. Many veterinarians reported taking several cytology samples each week, often sending them to labs without checking them first. The findings suggest that cytology is not being used as effectively as it could be, and the hope is that sharing these results will encourage veterinarians to use these tests more appropriately.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To establish the proportion of cytology samples sent to a commercial veterinary laboratory that yields diagnostically useful information in the context of current use and perceptions of cytology. METHODS: Nine hundred and forty-five cytology submissions were retrospectively collected and categorised according to diagnostic utility. A survey into the use and perceptions of cytology was distributed at the British Small Animal Veterinary Association Congress 2008. RESULTS: A specific diagnosis was reached in 23.1 per cent of samples and a cytological diagnosis in 35.3 per cent. 22.4 per cent of samples yielded some useful information, but 19.2 per cent were unacceptable. Seventy-four participants in the survey took an average of 3.9 cytological samples per week, of which they examined 27.0 per cent in-house only, 21.6 per cent in-house before sending to an external laboratory and 51.4 per cent were sent externally without prior examination. "To obtain a definitive diagnosis" was the principal reason cited for performing cytology. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Results suggest that cytology is underused and may be applied in an inappropriate context in the UK. It is hoped that illustrating the diagnostic outcome of samples received by a commercial laboratory will encourage increased, appropriate use of cytology.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19320812/