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Case Reports
. 2023 Jan;9(1):53-58.
doi: 10.1002/vms3.1060. Epub 2022 Dec 26.

Skeletal muscle dissemination in a dog with T-cell lymphoma

Tommaso Magni  1 , Francesca Del Signore  2 , Massimo Vignoli  2 , Rossella Terragni  1 , Alessandro Poli  3 , Francesca Parisi  3 , Michele Sampaolo  1 , Andrea Boari  2 , Arianna Miglio  2 , Paolo Emidio Crisi  2
Affiliations
Case Reports

Skeletal muscle dissemination in a dog with T-cell lymphoma

Tommaso Magni et al. Vet Med Sci. 2023 Jan.

Abstract

A 5-year-old spayed female American Staffordshire was referred for weakness, reluctance to move and distension of the abdomen. Three weeks before, the dog underwent surgery for excision of a nodular mass suspected to be a non-epitheliotropic cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (NE-CTCL). Computed tomography revealed heterogeneous enhancing mesenteric masses and nodular lesions of soft tissue density, and infiltration of the abdominal muscular wall. Moreover, a pattern of diffuse muscle nodules in the skeletal muscles was visible, with lesions showing homogenous, heterogeneous or ring enhancement. Necrosis was histologically observed and these lesions were infiltrated by CD3-positive and CD20-, CD79a- and Iba1-negative neoplastic lymphocytes. On the basis of the immunopathological features metastatic NE-CTCL was suspected. Skeletal muscle metastasis has been rarely reported in small animals and this case report further confirms that this possibility should be considered in dogs with lymphoma.

Keywords: canine lymphoma; computed tomography; muscle metastasis; neoplastic invasion; non-epitheliotropic cutaneous T-cell lymphoma; oncologic staging.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Pre‐ and post‐contrast CT images of the caudal abdomen and proximal hind limbs. In a and b, peritoneal effusion and an heterogeneous nodules (arrow) are visible. Muscular nodules (arrowhead) in the abdominal wall, inguinal, and flexors muscles of the legs are visible, with homogenous or ring enhancing patterns visible only in the post‐contrast study (c and d).
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
Pre‐ and post‐contrast CT images at the level of the inguinal regions. A nodule with heterogeneous contrast enhancement (arrows) is visible.
FIGURE 3
FIGURE 3
Histological and immunohistochemical features of the muscle biopsy from a dog with a non‐epitheliotropic‐ cutaneous T‐cell lymphoma. (a) Necrotic muscle tissue was infiltrated by neoplastic lymphoid cells scattered within necrotic area were CD3‐positive (Haematoxin‐Eosin, bar = 200 μm). (b) CD3‐positive neoplastic lymphoid cells (IHC anti‐CD3 primary antibody, bar = 50 μm). (c) Neoplastic cells scored negative for CD79a (IHC anti‐CD79a primary antibody, bar = 50 μm). (d) Neoplastic T lymphoid cells were Iba1‐negative, while macrophages scattered throughout the connective tissue scored positive. Detail of positive macrophage staining is shown in the inset (IHC anti‐Iba1 primary antibody, bar = 50 μm).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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