Lab Diagnostics: Cytology I

Name: Lab Diagnostics: Cytology I
Start: 2025-09-22T00:00:00+02:00
End: 2025-09-26T23:59:59+02:00
Location: Cologne, Germany

Registration open

Program Director:

Dr. Francesco Cian (Dipl. ECVCP)

Principal Course Master(s):

Dr. Francesco Cian (Dipl. ECVCP)

Course Master(s):

Dr. Paola Cazzini (Dip. ACVP)

Course Overview

Cytology plays a pivotal role in veterinary medicine, serving as a valuable diagnostic tool. Its cost-effectiveness, minimal invasiveness, and swift results make it an indispensable technique.

This course provides essential knowledge for in-house cytology, covering sampling techniques, slide examination methods, and emphasizing the cytological presentation of common pathological conditions in dogs and cats, including those affecting the skin, ears, lymph nodes, and specific fluids such as cavitary effusions and urine. The course also incorporates a combination of live presentations, written study materials, and diagnostic algorithms.

Participants will engage in practical sessions, utilizing individual microscopes to gain hands-on experience, reinforcing the concepts learned during the course. These practical cases will be collectively discussed with the instructors at the end of each day.

Our course encourages active participation and includes dedicated Q&A sessions to foster interaction between participants and instructors.

Upon completion of the course, a comprehensive end-of-course test will evaluate your understanding of all the topics covered.

By the end of this course, you’ll be well-prepared to independently perform cytology examinations for most samples from skin, lymph nodes, and cavitary effusions.

Course Program (Subject to change)

Monday, 22 September 2025

09:00 – 09:30 Welcome, presentation of the course and its structure Cian / Cazzini
09:30 – 10:30 Sample collection, preparation and staining Cian
10:30 – 11:00 Coffee Break
11:00 – 12:00 Basic principles of inflammatory and neoplastic cytology Cazzini
12:00 – 12:30 Ear cytology Cian
12:30 – 14:00 Lunch Break
14:00 – 15:00 Approach to slide examination, how to examine a slide and
how to write a cytology report Cian
15:00 – 16:00 Cytology practical
16:00 – 16:30 Coffee Break
16:30 – 17:00 Solutions and discussion of cases Cian / Cazzini

Tuesday, 23 September 2025

09:00 – 09:30 Microscopic anatomy of skin and subcutis: the basics Cian
09:30 – 10:00 Cytology of skin and subcutis: inflammatory and non-neoplastic lesions Cian
10:00 – 11:00 Cytology of skin and subcutis: epithelial tumours Cian
11:00 – 11:30 Coffee Break
11:30 – 12:30 Cytology of skin and subcutis: mesenchymal tumours Cian
12:30 – 14:00 Lunch Break
14:00 – 16:00 Cytology practical
16:00 – 16:30 Coffee Break
16:30 – 17:30 Solutions and discussion of cases Cian / Cazzini

Wednesday, 24 September 2025

09:00 – 10:00 Cytology of skin and subcutis: round cell tumours Cian
10:00 – 11:15 Cytology of skin and subcutis: round cell tumours Cian
11:15 – 11:45 Coffee Break
11:45 – 12:30 Lymph node cytology: an introduction Cazzini
12:30 – 14:00 Lunch Break
14:00 – 16:00 Cytology practical
16:00 – 16:30 Coffee Break
16:30 – 17:30 Solutions and discussion of cases Cian / Cazzini

Thursday, 25 September 2025

09:00 – 10:00 Cytology of inflammatory, reactive and metastatic lymph nodes Cazzini
10:00 – 11:15 Canine and feline lymphoma Cazzini
11:15 – 11:45 Coffee Break
11:45 – 12:30 When cytology is not enough – advanced diagnostic techniques Cian
12:30 – 14:00 Lunch Break
14:00 – 16:00 Cytology practical
16:00 – 16:30 Coffee Break
16:30 – 17:30 Solutions and discussion of cases Cian / Cazzini

Friday, 26 September 2025

09:00 – 10:00 Cavitary effusions: introduction and classification Cazzini
10:00 – 11:00 Cavitary effusions: special effusions and additional tests Cazzini
11:00 – 11:30 Coffee Break
11:30 – 12:30 Urinalysis Cian
12:30 – 14:00 Lunch Break
14:00 – 16:00 Cytology practical
16:00 – 16:30 Coffee Break
16:30 – 17:00 Solutions and discussion of cases Cian / Cazzini