National Toxicology Program nomenclature for hepatoproliferative lesions of rats

Diagnostic criteria for hepatoproliferative lesions of Fischer 344 rats are presented to permit more complete categorization of the spectrum of lesions observed in two-year chemical carcinogenicity studies. A nomenclature recently adopted by the National Toxicology Program differs from previous classification schemes in that hepatocellular hyperplasia and hepatocellular adenoma are to be used for lesions which were previously combined under the diagnosis of neoplastic nodule. The term hyperplasia is reserved for proliferative lesions that are perceived to be secondary, nonneoplastic responses to degenerative changes in the liver. Foci of cellular alteration, hepatocellular adenoma, and hepatocellular carcinoma are believed to represent a spectrum of changes that comprise the natural history of neoplasia. This change in nomenclature was made subsequent to a peer review of representative hepatoproliferative lesions from two-year carcinogenicity studies. The revised nomenclature is consistent with traditional pathologic diagnoses for proliferative lesions in other epithelial tissues and should facilitate the interpretation of conventional toxicity and carcinogenicity studies in rats. Morphologic features of other selected rat liver lesions are also presented.