Quality of tissue specimens obtained endoscopically from the duodenum of dogs and cats

Objective-To evaluate quality of duodenal tissue specimens obtained endosco pically from dogs and cats and submitted to 1 of 2 diagnostic laboratories for evaluation. Design-Case series. Sample Population-Slides from 50 consecutive canine and 50 consecutive feli ne endoscopically obtained duodenal tissue specimens submitted to laborator y 1 and 49 consecutive canine and 46 consecutive feline specimens submitted to laboratory 2. Procedure-Slides were examined independently by 3 investigators, and each t issue piece on each slide was classified as clearly inadequate, questionabl e, or clearly adequate on the basis of 4 criteria. An overall score was the n assigned to the slide. Results-Slides from laboratory 1 were more likely to be scored as clearly a dequate and less likely to be scored as clearly inadequate than slides from laboratory 2. Clearly adequate slides from laboratory 1 had a higher numbe r of clearly adequate pieces of tissue than did clearly adequate slides fro m laboratory 2. Slides scored as clearly adequate had a higher number of in dividual tissue pieces than did slides scored as clearly inadequate. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance-Results suggest that the quality of endo scopically obtained duodenal tissue specimens submitted to laboratories can vary, possibly because of differences in experience of individuals collect ing biopsy specimens. Results suggest that at least 8 individual tissue pie ces should be submitted when performing endoscopic biopsy of the duodenum i n dogs and cats.