Computer-assisted nuclear morphometry in the cytological evaluation of canine perianal adenocarcinomas

Stained cytological specimens from 18 canine perianal adenocarcinomas were analyzed by computer-assisted nuclear morphometry in order to evaluate the prognostic value of this technique. In each case, the nuclei of at least 100 neoplastic hepatoid cells were measured and the mean nuclear area (MNA), mean nuclear perimeter (MNP), mean nuclear diameter (D mean), maximum nuclear diameter (D max) and minimum nuclear diameter (D min) were calculated. There were significant differences in all of these parameters when non-metastatic tumours were compared with tumours in which lymph node metastasis had been identified. A statistically significant correlation was found between the survival period of the dogs and MNA, MNP, D max and D mean. The age of the dog, diameter of the tumour and presence of nodal metastasis were also correlated with survival, but there was no correlation with breed, sex or D min. These results indicate that MNA, MNP, D max and D min may be used as prognostic indicators for canine perianal adenocarcinoma.