Folia Morphol 2008;67(4):299-303.
Vol 67, No 4 (2008)
CASE REPORTS
Submitted: 2012-02-06
Published online: 2008-09-30
Abstract
Malignant histiocytosis (MH) is a progressive systemic neoplastic proliferation
of morphologically atypical histiocytes, well characterised in humans and dogs
but only recently identified in the cat. In all species, liver, lung, lymph nodes,
spleen and bone marrow are infiltrated by atypical histiocytes, and the disease
is rapidly fatal. The purpose of this study was to describe the clinical, histological,
immunohistochemical and ultrastructural findings of MH in a cat, together
with the diagnostic work-up and a list of differential diagnoses. Clinical evaluation
included a complete blood-cell count, serum biochemistry, urinalysis, serology
and ultrasound examination. The cat had clinical signs of depression,
thinness, dehydration, pale mucous membranes and tachycardia. Abdominal
ultrasonography revealed generalised splenomegaly and hepatomegaly. Necroscopy
showed whitish nodules, randomly scattered throughout the parenchyma
in the spleen and liver. The periportal lymph nodes were greatly enlarged
and the cut surface was uniformly greyish-white and translucent. Histological
examination revealed pleomorphic proliferation of large round tumour
cells, with numerous phagocytic vacuoles containing erytrocytes, leukocytes
and haemosiderin. By immunohistochemistry, positivity for lysozyme and
α1-antitrypsin and a scattered positivity for Mac 387 were observed. Ultrastructural
features of tumour cells included cytoplasmic lipid droplets, lysosomes and
phagolysosomes. MH in the cat needs to be differentiated from diffuse granulomatous
disease, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and Hodgkin’s-like disease. The
morphological features of the tumour cells, combined with immunohistochemical
and ultrastructural observation, are consistent with a diagnosis of MH in
the cat.
Abstract
Malignant histiocytosis (MH) is a progressive systemic neoplastic proliferation
of morphologically atypical histiocytes, well characterised in humans and dogs
but only recently identified in the cat. In all species, liver, lung, lymph nodes,
spleen and bone marrow are infiltrated by atypical histiocytes, and the disease
is rapidly fatal. The purpose of this study was to describe the clinical, histological,
immunohistochemical and ultrastructural findings of MH in a cat, together
with the diagnostic work-up and a list of differential diagnoses. Clinical evaluation
included a complete blood-cell count, serum biochemistry, urinalysis, serology
and ultrasound examination. The cat had clinical signs of depression,
thinness, dehydration, pale mucous membranes and tachycardia. Abdominal
ultrasonography revealed generalised splenomegaly and hepatomegaly. Necroscopy
showed whitish nodules, randomly scattered throughout the parenchyma
in the spleen and liver. The periportal lymph nodes were greatly enlarged
and the cut surface was uniformly greyish-white and translucent. Histological
examination revealed pleomorphic proliferation of large round tumour
cells, with numerous phagocytic vacuoles containing erytrocytes, leukocytes
and haemosiderin. By immunohistochemistry, positivity for lysozyme and
α1-antitrypsin and a scattered positivity for Mac 387 were observed. Ultrastructural
features of tumour cells included cytoplasmic lipid droplets, lysosomes and
phagolysosomes. MH in the cat needs to be differentiated from diffuse granulomatous
disease, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and Hodgkin’s-like disease. The
morphological features of the tumour cells, combined with immunohistochemical
and ultrastructural observation, are consistent with a diagnosis of MH in
the cat.
Keywords
malignant histiocytosis; cat; lysozyme; α1-antitrypsin; Mac 387; ultrastructure
Title
Morphological characterisation of malignant histiocytosis in a cat
Journal
Folia Morphologica
Issue
Vol 67, No 4 (2008)
Article type
Case report
Pages
299-303
Published online
2008-09-30
Page views
716
Article views/downloads
1594
Bibliographic record
Folia Morphol 2008;67(4):299-303.
Keywords
malignant histiocytosis
cat
lysozyme
α1-antitrypsin
Mac 387
ultrastructure
Authors
L. Cortese
O. Paciello
S. Papparella