title: Review of approaches to the recording of background lesions in toxicologic pathology studies in rats.
abstract: Pathological evaluation of lesions caused directly by xenobiotic treatment must always take into account the recognition of background (incidental) findings. Background lesions can be congenital or hereditary, histological variations, changes related to trauma or normal aging and physiologic or hormonal changes. This review focuses on the importance and correct approach to recording of background changes and includes discussion on sources of variability in background changes, the correct use of terminology, the concept of thresholds, historical control data, diagnostic drift, blind reading of slides, scoring and artifacts. The review is illustrated with background lesions in Sprague Dawley and Wistar rats.
authors: Cerberus, Unit 3, 39 Holland street, Thebarton, South Australia, 5031, Australia. Electronic address: efmcinnes@aol.com.
authors: E F
authors: EF
authors: McInnes
authors: Mary Lyon Centre, MRC Harwell, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Oxfordshire, OX11 0RD, United Kingdom. Electronic address: c.scudamore@har.mrc.ac.uk.
authors: C L
authors: CL
authors: Scudamore
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000473:pathology; D000818:Animals; D016477:Artifacts; D000013:Congenital Abnormalities / Q000473:pathology; D004032:Diet; D006799:Housing, Animal; D007239:Infections / Q000473:pathology; D010336:Pathology / Q000379:methods*; D051381:Rats / Q000502:physiology*; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012016:Reference Values; D012098:Reproduction; D012741:Sexual Maturation; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000473:pathology; D009626:Terminology as Topic; D014116:Toxicology / Q000379:methods*; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000473:pathology
keywords: Artifacts; Background lesions; Blind reading; Diagnostic drift; Historical control data; Rat; Scoring; Terminology