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- Prostatic discharges contain cells.
- Cytology may be more useful than diagnostic imaging.
Uses
Alone
- To investigate prostatomegaly [Prostate disease].
- Evaluation of prostatomegaly to differentiate hyperplasia , infection [Acute prostatitis] and neoplasia .
In combination
- In combination with diagnostic imaging in diagnosis of etiology of prostatomegaly.
Other points
- Ejaculation may also be used to collect prostatic fluid for cytology.
- May be more accurate than prostatic massage when concurrent prostatic and bladder infections are present.
- Prostatic fine needle aspirate or biopsy maybe required to get more information.
Result data
Normal (reference) values
- Uniform cuboidal epithelial cells.
- Older animals may show some squamous metaplasia, and occasional macrophages.
Abnormal values
Prostatic hypertrophy
- Normal cells: cuboidal to columnar with round, eccentric nucleus.May see papillary configurations with prostatic hyperplasia.
- Cyst-like accumulations of epithelial debris and keratin.
- Squamous metaplasia may be marked if sertoli cell tumor of the testicle is present (estrogen influence).
- Inflammatory cells.
- Infectious agents.
- Adenocarcinoma [Prostate: neoplasia].
- Neoplastic cells rarely seen.
- Hemorrhage may be detected.
Errors and Artifacts
- Bacterial urinary tract infection may give false diagnosis of prostatitis .
- Failure to detect neoplastic cells.
- Older animals may show squamous metaplasia and cells can appear abnormal.
- Inflammation present in urinary tract.
- Ageing of sample → degeneration of cells.