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Malignant Teratoid Medulloepithelioma in a Llama

Abstract

A lesion was identified in the eye of a juvenile llama, and preliminary clinical findings included anterior uveitis and an exudative retinal detachment suggestive of infectious disease. However, histopathologic evaluation of the enucleated globe revealed an intraocular neoplasm composed of primitive neuroepithelium forming ribbons, cords, and rosettes, heteroplastic elements including spindle cells in a loose myxomatous matrix, and islands of well-differentiated hyaline cartilage. Immunohistochemically, neoplastic cells were positive for vimentin and neuron-specific enolase. Spindle cells were multifocally positive for desmin and muscle specific actin, indicating differentiation towards myofibers. These findings are consistent with a diagnosis of malignant teratoid medulloepithelioma, an extremely rare ocular neoplasm that affects children and young animals.

Key words: Anterior uveitis; eye; immunohistochemistry; llamas; malignant teratoid medulloepithelioma; medulloepithelioma; retinal detachment.

Request reprints from Dr. D. V. H. Hendrix, Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tennessee, PO Box 1071, Knoxville, TN 37901 (USA). E-mail: dhendrix{at}utk.edu.

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