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A case report: Null-cell cardiac lymphoma in an English bulldog
Liza S Köster1, Kim Newkirk2, Philip Krawec1
1Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, C247 Veterinary Medical Center, University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine, Knoxville, TN, United States.
Insights
This case report details a rare extranodal null-cell lymphoma affecting the heart muscle of an English bulldog. This canine lymphoma presented as myocardial nodules and led to right heart failure.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Pathology
- Canine Oncology
- Cardiovascular Disease in Animals
Background:
- Extranodal lymphomas are uncommon in dogs.
- Myocardial involvement by lymphoma is rare.
- Canine lymphomas often present with lymphadenopathy.
Observation:
- An English bulldog presented with clinical signs of right heart failure.
- Echocardiography revealed pericardial effusion, thickened ventricular walls, and myocardial nodules.
- Necropsy confirmed multifocal ventricular nodules and an incidental aortic root chemodectoma.
Findings:
- Microscopic examination identified sheets of round cells consistent with high-grade lymphoma.
- Immunohistochemistry was negative for T-cell (CD3), B-cell (CD20, CD79a), plasma cell (Mum-1), mast cell (CD117), and histiocyte (CD18) markers.
- These results indicate a high-grade, null-cell-type lymphoma of the myocardium.
Implications:
- This case highlights a novel presentation of canine lymphoma.
- Understanding rare cardiac tumors is crucial for accurate veterinary diagnosis.
- This finding contributes to the differential diagnosis of heart failure in dogs.
Abstract:
This case report describes a novel example of an extranodal null-type lymphoma in the myocardium of a middle-aged English bulldog who presented with signs of right heart failure. An echocardiogram found, in addition to the pericardial effusion, thickened right and left ventricular free walls and the interventricular septum. The right ventricular free wall myocardium had multinodular lesions, suspicious for infiltrative disease. The owner elected humane euthanasia, and permission for necropsy was obtained. Multifocal left and right ventricular nodules and an incidental aortic root mass were detected, the latter of which was later confirmed as a chemodectoma. Microscopically, the myocardial nodules were sheets of round cells consistent with a high-grade lymphoma. Neoplastic cells were not immunoreactive to CD3 (T-cell) or CD20 and CD79a (B-cell), Mum-1 (plasma cell), CD117 (mast cell), or CD18 (histiocyte). These findings are consistent with a high-grade, null-cell-type lymphoma.
