Effect of Nintedanib on healing and fibrosis in rats with experimentally induced urethral injury.

AIM: We aimed to determine the effectiveness of Nintedanib treatment, which has known antifibrotic effect, in preventing fibrosis after urethral trauma. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Twenty-three adult Sprague-Dawley rats were divided randomly into 3 different groups: Sham, Urethral injury group (UI) and Urethral injury+ Nintedanib (UI+N). The urethral injury model was made with a pediatric urethrotome knife. Nintedanib was administered at a dose of 50mg/kg by oral gavage for 14 days at the same time every day. After 14 days of treatment, all rats were performed penectomy under general anesthesia. Urethral tissue was evaluated histopathologically (congestion, inflammatory cell infiltration and spongiofibrosis) and immunohistochemically (transforming growth factor (TBF) Beta-1 and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEBFR2)). RESULTS: Histopathological findings: Group UI had higher scores in all categories (congestion, inflammatory cell infiltration, and spongiofibrosis), followed by Group UI+N and Group Sham, respectively. A statistically significant difference was found between Group UI and Group UI+N in terms of the scores of histopathological parameters (p<0.05). Immunohistochemical findings: Group UI had higher scores in both categories, followed by Group UI+N and Group Sham, respectively. A statistically significant difference was found between Group UI and Group UI+N in TGF Beta-1 and VEGF scores (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: We found that Nintedanib administration after urethral trauma reduced inflammation and fibrosis histologically and immunohistochemically. The positive effect of Nintedanib on inflammation and fibrosis after urethral trauma reported in this animal study is encouraging for a potential clinical human application.

Evaluation of mothers' opinions on appetite and body shape perception of their children.

OBJECTIVES: In this study, we aimed to evaluate how mothers perceived the appetite and body shape of their children using gender- and age-specific development sketches. STUDY DESIGN: The study design used in the study is a single-centred descriptive study. METHODS: We included 153 children aged 2-14 years and their mothers who attended family medicine polyclinic outpatient services, for any reason, at the University of Health Sciences, Sisli Hamidiye Etfal Teaching and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey, between February 2019 and April 2019. Weight and height measurements of both the children and their mothers were taken. In addition, the mothers completed the sociodemographic data form and were asked to select an image from the gender- and age-specific development sketches that best represented their child's body shape. Participants were divided into four groups by their body mass index (BMI) in accordance with criteria from the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. Results were compared using appropriate statistical procedures. RESULTS: A significant weak positive correlation was observed between maternal BMI and child BMI (r = 0.166, P = 0.041). When the maternally perceived BMI (determined by the age-specific development sketches) was compared with the actual BMI values of children, mothers perceived their underweight children to be in higher BMI groups, whereas the overweight and obese children were perceived to be in lower BMI groups. The results were similar when the same comparison was made for the mother's expectation (i.e. the body shape the mother desired for their child). CONCLUSIONS: When mothers were asked to visually evaluate the body shape of their children, their responses were inaccurate compared with both the actual data and the researcher's evaluation. Obtaining verbal assessments from mothers about their children (e.g. an assessment of the child's bodily appearance) is important for physicians to make correct referrals and also for public health policies. It is valuable for mothers to correctly interpret the weight status of their children, thus enabling early diagnosis and treatment, and preventing future health consequences.

Push down technique with ostectomy.

PURPOSE: Rhinoplasty is one of the most commonly performed aesthetic surgeries among patients who are admitted to plastic surgeons. Recent research has focused on dorsal preservation in hump reduction and consequently dorsal preservation techniques have become more popular. The current study aimed to revise the push down technique by adding ostectomy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In the present retrospective study, data from patients who underwent rhinoplasty to fix a nasal hump were assessed. All patients were administered the push down technique with ostectomy. Following these inclusion and exclusion criteria, the records of 52 patients were assessed (45 females and 7 males). The median age of the patients was 22.2 years. Patients were evaluated using the "Rhinoplasty Outcome Evaluation" (ROE) questionnaire both before surgery and 12 months after surgery. The follow-up period ranged between 13 and 21 months (median of 15.1 months). RESULTS: Patients were evaluated before surgery and after one year of surgery by the ROE scale. The median of the ROE score before surgery was 63.4. The median score after one year of surgery was 91.6. Thus, the ROE score significantly increased 12 months after surgery (P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: This study was the first to demonstrate the benefits of performing the push down technique with ostectomy in terms of obtaining a wider nasal cavity. In addition, it can be assumed that the disadvantage of using the push down technique can be overcome with ostectomy.

Evaluation of MicroRNA-124 Expression in Renal Cell Carcinoma.

The Wingless/INT (WNT) signaling network has roles in renal cancer development. It was shown that the tumor-suppressor microRNA-124 (miR-124) is associated with the Wnt pathway. Thus, we aimed to measure miR-124 expression levels to evaluate whether it is a prognostic marker or a potential treatment strategy. Thirty tumor and 30 surrounding healthy kidney tissues from the same subjects diagnosed with renal cell carcinoma (RCC), were included in the study. The expression levels of miR-124 were measured with real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and determined by the 2-ΔΔCT method. The Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 22 program was used for statistical analyses and a p value of 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. The expression levels of miR-124 was found to be about 3-fold lower in tumors than in healthy tissues (p 0.001) and decreased expression levels correlated with tumor stage, tumor diameter, body mass index (BMI) and neutrophil values (p 0.05). Our results showed that miR-124 expression levels are associated with RCC. MicroRNA-124 may be assessed as a biomarker in prognosis and the restoration of miR-124 expression might be effective in the treatment of RCC.

Treatment of severely decayed anterior primary teeth with short-post technique (Mushroom Restorations) under general anesthesia.

AIMS: The aim of this study was to evaluation the treatment success of the short post technique (mushroom restoration) using a composite resin in severely decayed primary anterior teeth after 6, 12, and 18 months after treatment. METHODS: Eighteen children aged 3-5 years with severely decayed primary maxillary anterior teeth (60 anterior maxillary primary teeth in total) were included. Patients were treated under general anesthesia (GA). After pulpectomy, a "mushroom shape" was formed in the root canals for the purpose of retention, and the root canals were filled with zinc oxide-eugenol (ZOE), and the teeth were restored with composite resin. The status of treatment was evaluated clinically and radiographically for periapical radiolucency, pathological root resorption, marginal fracture, and loss of restoration for each treated tooth. All findings were recorded. RESULTS: As a result of the evaluation criteria, the success rates at 6, 12 and 18 months were 86%, 80%, and 71%, respectively. None of the teeth showed apical radiolucency or pathological root resorption at the end of the 18th month period. CONCLUSION: The short-post (mushroom restorations) technique is a clinically acceptable alternative method for restoration of severely decayed primary teeth. This study supports the feasibility of treatment with this technique for pediatric patients treated under GA.

The impact of alternative donor types on viral infections in pediatric hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Viral infections remain one of the most important complications following allogeneic HSCT. Few reports compare virus infection between different donor types in pediatric patients. We retrospectively analyzed viral infections and the outcome of one hundred and seventy-one pediatric patients (median 7.38 years) who underwent allogeneic HSCT from matched related donor (MRD, n = 71), 10 of 10 HLA allele-matched unrelated donors (MUD1; n = 29), 9 of 10 HLA allele-matched unrelated donors (MUD2; n = 40), and haploidentical donors (n = 31). PCR screening for BK virus, adenovirus, Epstein-Barr virus, parvovirus B19, human herpesvirus 6, and CMV were performed routinely weekly. Infections between 0-30, 31-100, and 101 days-2 years were identified separately. BK virus and CMV reactivations were significantly low in MRD transplant patients (P = .046 and P < .0001, respectively), but incidences of all virus infections between MUD1, MUD2, and haplo-HSCT were found statistically not different. The OS was found to be affected by having one or multiple virus infection (P = .04 and P = .0008). Despite antiviral prophylaxis and treatments, post-transplant viral infections are associated with reduced overall survival. Haplo-HSCT is comparable with MUD transplantation in the setting of viral infections. A larger study group and prospective studies are needed to confirm this observation.

THE USE OF 18F-FLUORODEOXYGLUCOSE POSITRON EMISSION TOMOGRAPHY TO ASSESS CLINICAL OUTCOMES OF PATIENTS WITH BORDERLINE RESECTABLE PANCREATIC CANCER.

The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of 18FDG PET on preoperative staging and clinical management of pancreatic cancer. Between December 2011 and February 2015, 28 consecutive patients with borderline resectable pancreatic cancer were evaluated with both 18FDG PET scans and conventional preoperative imaging studies. Medical records of all patients were noted prospectively. 18FDG PET findings were compared with conventional imaging studies and over-staging or down-staging rates with changes in clinical management were evaluated. The correlation of 18FDG PET with conventional imaging studies was evaluated with a kappa agreement coefficient. A number of 22 (78.5%) patients had pancreatic head cancer and 6 (21.4%) patients had pancreatic body and tail cancers. Based on 18FDG PET, additional lesions were found in 4 (14.28%) of the patients which were lung and peritoneal lesions as metastasis. No hepatic metastasis or supraclavicular lymph node involvement was confirmed in patients. Routine use of 18FDG PET for preoperative staging has not an effect on cancer management in 96.8% of our patients. In conclusion, 18FDG PET has additional value over conventional radiologic techniques for monitoring the treatment response in locally advanced pancreatic cancer patients. It is feasible to predict early metastasis and patient outcome early (after one course of IC) during therapy.

Ultrasonographic evaluation of sciatic nerves in patients with spinal cord injury.

STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional, controlled study. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the sciatic nerves of subjects with spinal cord injury (SCI) by using ultrasound (US) imaging and to explore whether US measurements are associated with clinical and electrophysiological findings. SETTING: National Rehabilitation Center in Ankara, Turkey. METHODS: Fifteen SCI subjects (12 male (M), 3 female (F)) and 23 (16 M, 7 F) healthy controls were included in the study. After clinical assessment of the subjects, lower limb nerve conduction studies and US imaging of the sciatic nerves were performed. Cross-sectional area (CSA) values of the sciatic nerves were correlated with the clinical and electrophysiologic data. RESULTS: Mean CSA values were lower in the patient group when compared with the control group (P=0.042). Reduced compound motor action potentials regarding tibial and peroneal nerves were observed in the patient group (P=0.003 and P=0.005, respectively). US measurements did not correlate with the electrophysiological findings. However, sciatic nerve CSA values were positively correlated with body mass index in the control (r=0.534, P<0.05) and patient (r=0.482, P<0.05) groups. CONCLUSION: Sciatic nerves seem to be smaller in subjects with SCI. Together with our electrophysiological data, this preliminary finding could possibly be attributed to primary axonal loss.

A novel reconstruction method for giant incisional hernia: Hybrid laparoscopic technique.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Laparoscopic reconstruction of ventral hernia is a popular technique today. Patients with large defects have various difficulties of laparoscopic approach. In this study, we aimed to present a new reconstruction technique that combines laparoscopic and open approach in giant incisional hernias. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between January 2006 and August 2012, 28 patients who were operated consequently for incisional hernia with defect size over 10 cm included in this study and separated into two groups. Group 1 (n = 12) identifies patients operated with standard laparoscopic approach, whereas group 2 (n = 16) labels laparoscopic technique combined with open approach. Patients were evaluated in terms of age, gender, body mass index (BMI), mean operation time, length of hospital stay, surgical site infection (SSI) and recurrence rate. RESULTS: There are 12 patients in group 1 and 16 patients in group 2. Mean length of hospital stay and SSI rates are similar in both groups. Postoperative seroma formation was observed in six patients for group 1 and in only 1 patient for group 2. Group 1 had 1 patient who suffered from recurrence where group 2 had no recurrence. DISCUSSION: Laparoscopic technique combined with open approach may safely be used as an alternative method for reconstruction of giant incisional hernias.

A rare reason for liver transplantation: hepatic alveoloar echinococcosis.

One of the rare indications for liver transplantation is hepatic alveolar echinococcosis (AE). We present a case of hepatic AE with portal vein involvement.

Can biliary-cyst communication be predicted by Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MR cholangiography before treatment for hepatic hydatid disease?

AIM: To evaluate the role of gadolinium ethoxybenzyl diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (Gd-EOB-DTPA)-enhanced magnetic resonance cholangiography (MRC) in the evaluation of biliary-cyst communication (BCC) before treatment for hepatic hydatid disease (HHD). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Thirty-one patients with clinical and laboratory follow-up for HHD with suspected diagnosis of BCC underwent three-dimensional (3D) T2-weighted MRC and T1-weighted contrast-enhanced MRC, dynamic 3D gradient echo (GRE) sequences, using Gd-EOB-DTPA to identify the presence or absence of BCC. A total of 45 hepatic hydatid cysts in the 31 patients were evaluated for cyst diameter, BCC, and the time to contrast-enhancement of the hydatid cyst after Gd-EOB-DTPA injection. The surgical and interventional radiological procedures and imaging findings were compared. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of both techniques in identification of BCC were calculated. RESULTS: The accuracy of contrast-enhanced MRC for identifying BCC was superior with a sensitivity of 87.4% and accuracy of 90.5% (p < 0.05). A diameter of ≥10 cm was associated with significantly increased risk of BCC on contrast-enhanced MRC images (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The use of Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRC yields information that complements T2-weighted MRC findings and improves identification of BCC. The use of T2-weighted MRC, in addition to contrast-enhanced MRC, is recommended to increase preoperative accuracy of identifying BCC.

A reliable pancreaticojejunal anastomosis with V-Loc 180 wound closure device for soft pancreatic stump.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Although mortality rates decreased in recent years, pancreaticoduodenectomy is still associated with high morbidity rates. Pancreatic fistula is the leading cause of morbidity after pancreaticojejunal anastomosis and commonly occurs in soft pancreas. The objective of this study is to compare outcomes of conventional modified invaginated end to side pancreaticojejunostomy with a new practical method using V-Loc 'rM 180 wound closure device in soft pancreas. METHODOLOGY: Between December 2011 and August 2013, a total of 90 pancreaticoduodenectomy procedures were performed in our hospital. 28 of them were defined as soft pancreas according to attending surgeon and included in this study. Patients were divided into two groups consecutively and analysed for postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) rate, length of stay, operation time, cost and particular duration of anastomosis. Pancreatic fistulas were classified according to International Study Group on Pancreatic Fistula (ISGPF) definition. RESULTS: 1 grade A and 2 grade B fistulas appeared in V-Loc group (Group 1), whereas 1 grade A, 2 grade B and 1 grade C fistulas appeared in conventional anastomosis group (Group 2). CONCLUSIONS: Pancreaticojejunostomy with V-Loc suture is a convenient method in soft pancreas and can be performed safely.

The Effect of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery Protocol on Surgical Site Infections in Liver Transplantation.

Background: Liver surgeries are treatment modalities that require careful pre- and postoperative follow-up for both the surgeon and the patient. Infections are the leading causes of morbidity and mortality after liver transplantation. Infections are the most frequent cause of death between 30 and 180 days after liver transplantation. We aimed to investigate the effect of the Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocol on the prevention of infections in liver transplant patients. Patients and Methods: The study included patients who underwent liver transplantation in Ataturk University Organ Transplantation Center between 2017 and 2022. Two patient groups with and without ERAS were formed. Blood and urine cultures were collected retrospectively, and those with positive blood cultures for bacteremia were recorded as infection development. The development of infection between the two groups was statistically compared. Also, all patients' length of intensive care stay, length of hospital stay, and duration of antibiotic use were recorded. These parameters were compared between both groups. Results: There was a statistically significant difference between the two groups in terms of infection development (p: 0.01). There was a statistically significant difference between the two groups in terms of duration of antibiotic use and length of hospital stay (Mann-Whitney U test; p: 0.00, p: 0.04, respectively). There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in terms of length of intensive care stay. Conclusion: We concluded that the introduction of an ERAS protocol was associated with fewer infections, thus shortening the duration of antibiotic therapy and length of hospital stay, although the standardization of the protocols is difficult, especially in liver transplants.

An investigation on protection properties of Tantalum (V) oxide reinforced glass screens on unexposed breast tissue for mammography examinations.

INTRODUCTION: The utilization of radiation shielding material positioned between the both breasts are crucial for the reduction of glandular dose and the safeguarding of the contralateral breast during mammographic procedures. This study proposes an alternative substance for shielding the contralateral breast from radiation exposure during mammography screening. METHODS: In this study, we present an analysis of the shielding effectiveness of transparent glass that has been doped with Tantalum (V) oxide encoded as BTZT6. The evaluation of this shielding material was conducted using the MCNPX code, specifically for the ipsilateral and contralateral breasts. The design of the left and right breast phantoms involved the creation of three-layer heterogeneous breast phantoms, consisting of varying proportions of glandular tissue (25%, 50%, and 75%). The design of BTZT6 and lead-acrylic shielding screens is implemented using the MCNPX code. The comparative analysis of dose outcomes is conducted to assess the protective efficacy of BTZT6 and lead-acrylic shielding screens. RESULTS: The utilization of BTZT6 shielding material resulted in a reduction in both breast dose and skin dose exposure when compared to the lead-acrylic shield. CONCLUSION: Based on the findings acquired, the utilization of BTZT6 shielding material screens during mammography procedures involving X-rays with energy levels ranging from 26 to 30 keV is associated with a decrease in radiation dose. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: It can be inferred that the utilization of BTZT6 demonstrates potential efficacy in mitigating excessive radiation exposure to the breasts and facilitating the quantification of glandular doses in mammography procedures.

Two distinct types of dying back axonal degeneration in vitro.

AIMS: In many neurodegenerative diseases and following traumas, dying back degeneration is a common phenomenon that aggravates the pathology and may eventually lead to death of the affected neurone. We aimed to investigate the mechanism of dying back degeneration with an in vitro axonal injury model. METHODS: We cultured adult mouse dorsal root ganglion neurones and with a precise laser beam, cut the axons they extended. Preparations were imaged continuously and images were analysed to describe and quantify ensuing events. Potential contributions of calpains and caspases to the degeneration were explored using specific inhibitors and immunohistochemistry. In vivo implications of the results were sought in nerve sections after sciatic nerve cut. RESULTS: The proximal part of the transected axons went under basically two types of dying back degeneration, fragmentation and retraction. In fragmentation the cytoplasm became condensed and with concomitant axial collapse the axon disintegrated into small pieces. In retraction, the severed axon was pulled back to the soma in an organized manner. We demonstrated that fragmentation was associated with a high risk of cell death, while survival rate with retraction was as high as those of uninjured neurones. Regeneration of transected axon was more likely after retraction than following fragmentation. Activities of caspase-3 and calpains but not of caspase-6 were found linked with retraction and regeneration but not with the fragmentation. CONCLUSIONS: This study describes two quite distinct types of dying back degeneration that lead an injured neurone to quite different fates.

TLR2 and TLR4 gene polymorphisms in Turkish vitiligo patients.

BACKGROUND: It has been shown that toll like receptors (TLR) may be involved in some inflammatory skin diseases such as psoriasis, atopic dermatitis. Vitiligo is an acquired pigmentation disorder of unknown aetiology. A number of genes playing a role in inflammatory response may be associated with development of vitiligo. OBJECTIVES: To investigate whether there is an association between TLR 2 and TLR4 gene polymorphisms in Turkish patients with vitiligo. METHODS: A total of 100 patients (59 women and 41 men) with vitiligo and 100 controls (58 women and 42 men) were included in the study. The TLR2 gene Arg753Gln and TLR4 gene Asp299Gly and Thr399Ile polymorphisms were genotyped by using polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism method. The data were analysed by Mann-Whitney U-test, chi-squared test and logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Significant difference was found in the distribution of TLR2 Arg753Gln genotype and in the allele frequencies TLR2 753Gln between vitiligo patients and healthy subjects (P < 0.05). The distribution of TLR4 Asp299Gly genotype was significantly higher in the patient group (10%) than in the control group (%2) (P < 0.05). The TLR4 Thr399Ile distribution did not show any difference in both vitiligo and healthy groups. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that Toll-like receptor 2 gene Arg753Gln and Toll-like receptor 4 Asp299Gly gene polymorphisms are associated with vitiligo susceptibility in Turkish patients.

Characterization of Anatolian traditional quince cultivars, based on microsatellite markers.

We conducted simple sequence repeat (SSR) analyses of 15 traditional quince (Cydonia oblonga) cultivars from Anatolian gene sources for molecular characterization and investigation of genetic relationships. Three pear and two apple cultivars were used as references for SSR locus data analysis and to determine allele profiles between species. Eight SSR loci that were developed from apple and pear were used, and a total of 44 alleles were found among quince cultivars. The CH01F02 locus was found to have the highest identification probability, while the CH04E03 locus had the lowest identification probability. Analysis of similarity ratios between quince cultivars showed that the lowest similarity ratio was 18% (Esme-Bardacik ± k), while the highest similarity ratio was 87% (Bursa-Osmancik ± k and Osmancik ± k-Viranyadevi). In the phylogenetic dendrogram, Esme quince showed separate branching from other quince cultivars, and no synonymous accessions were found. These results suggest that SSR markers from pear and apple could be used to determine genetic variation among quince cultivars. These findings can be used to guide future quince breeding and management studies.

An unusual case of oropharyngeal mature teratoma in a kitten.

Background: Extragonadal teratoma in the head and neck region is unusual in veterinary medicine. So far, only one case of oropharyngeal teratoma has been reported in a cat. Case description: In this report, a 5-month-old kitten was brought to the clinic with the complaint of difficulty breathing, food intake, and oropharyngeal mass. In clinical examination, there was a large mass, protruding from the localization included left buccal mucosa, soft palate, and extending into the oropharynx but no cranial extension was observed in CT scans. The mass was completely resected. Macroscopically, the mass measured 4.5 × 6.5 cm2 and contained solid and cystic areas associated with soft and hard tissue components. Findings/treatment and outcome: Histopathology revealed an extragonadal solid-cystic (grade 0) oropharyngeal mature teratoma containing structures from endoderm, mesoderm, and ectoderm. After an 8-month follow-up control period, no signs of recurrence were observed. Conclusion: The case was deemed worthy of being presented with its clinical, radiological, and pathological findings, and complete resection was curative for mature teratoma.

The anticancer mechanism of caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE): review of melanomas, lung and prostate cancers.

BACKGROUND: Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE), an active component of propolis extract, specifically inhibits NF-κB. It exhibits antioxidant, antiinflammatory, antiproliferative, cytostatic, and most importantly, antineoplastic properties. AIM: The aim of the present mini-review is to summarize and evaluate the anticancer mechanism of CAPE with examples of several cancer types. RESULTS: In view of the mechanisms and findings in our laboratory and those of others in literature, we suggest that CAPE possess anticancer and apoptosis inducing activities. CONCLUSIONS: Further researches are needed regarding the anticancer basis of CAPE in all disciplines of medicine. Also, clinical potential toxicities of CAPE should be revealed if it is going to be used as an anticancer agent.

Fine-needle aspiration biopsy of canine mammary gland tumours: a comparison between cytology and histopathology.

In the current study, a total of 90 mammary neoplasms obtained from 55 female dogs were used to determine the accuracy of fine-needle aspiration cytology in the diagnosis of canine mammary tumours and to investigate the feasibility of this technique for the differentiation of simple tumours from complex or mixed tumours. Three aspirations were performed on each mammary gland mass using a 22-gauge needle attached to a 5-ml syringe before the mammary glands were surgically excised and submitted for histopathological examination. Twenty-five (27.7%) of 90 samples were classified as insufficient/inadequate for diagnosis. Of the remaining 65 samples, six (9.2%) were benign, 51 (78.5%) were malignant tumours and 8 (12.3%) were suspicious. Histopathological examination of the 90 specimens revealed five (5.6%) benign, 84 (93.3%) malignant and one (1.1%) non-neoplastic lesion. The diagnostic accuracy, sensitivity and specificity of cytologic examination for diagnosing malignancy were 96.5%, 96.2% and 100%, respectively. However, when inadequate (n = 25) and suspicious (n = 8) samples were included, the diagnostic accuracy and sensitivity decreased to 63.3% and 60.7%, respectively, but no change was observed in the specificity. Furthermore, it was not possible to differentiate simple tumours from complex and mixed tumours because spindle cells were seen in both 28% of the simple tumours and 39.3% of the complex or mix tumours. In conclusion, we believe that fine-needle aspiration cytology of canine mammary tumours is a valuable diagnostic tool, although our results indicated lower accuracy when inadequate samples were taken into consideration.