Accuracy of ultrasound detecting splenic and hepatic round cell neoplasia in dogs compared to cytology and histopathology

TL;DR

Ultrasound is not reliable alone for diagnosing round cell tumors in dogs' livers and spleens, with cytology and histopathology being more accurate.

Contribution

This study evaluates the diagnostic accuracy of ultrasound compared to cytology and histopathology for detecting canine hepatic and splenic round cell neoplasia.

Findings

Ultrasound alone shows limited diagnostic certainty for canine liver and spleen tumors.

False negatives occurred despite normal-appearing organs in ultrasound assessments.

Cytology and histopathology remain the gold standard for definitive diagnosis.

Abstract

In dogs, how accurate is abdominal ultrasound in detecting round cell neoplasia in the liver and spleen when compared to cytological or histopathological diagnosis?

Diagnosis.

Twelve studies were appraised in total. Ten of them were retrospective cohort studies, and only two were prospective studies.

Moderate.

Ultrasonography is useful for initial evaluation of canine liver and spleen but shows limited diagnostic certainty on its own. Across the studies, distinguishing benign from malignant change and differentiating among diffuse hepatopathies was inconsistent, and false negatives occurred despite normal-appearing organs. Detection of splenic involvement with aggressive mast cell disease was particularly unreliable, and ultrasound assessment of hepatic lymphoma was imperfect with overlapping appearances. Definitive case classification in the evidence base depended on cytology or histopathology rather than ultrasound alone.

Histopathological and cytological examination remains the gold standard for diagnosis, as ultrasound on its own is an unreliable tool for diagnosis of round cell tumours involving the spleen and the liver.