Antinuclear antibodies: a simplified classification of the nuclear immunofluorescent patterns

The key to a simplified classification of the nuclear immunofluorescent patterns is to separate out only two patterns, the speckled and nucleolar, from the nonhomogeneous particulate group (showing stained particles). There are only six categories divided into two major groups: nonparticulate and particulate. The nonparticulate group consists of the (1) peripheral, (2) homogeneous, and (3) leukocyte specific patterns. The particulate group is divided into (1) nucleolar, (2) speckled, and (3) "other particulates." The major diagnostic and prognostic values of of the test are retained by the simple expedient of separating out only two morphologically distinct and diagnostically important patterns from the particulate group, the nucleolar and speckled patterns, seen mainly in scleroderma but not in lupus erythematosus.