Prefix (pseudo-) |
Pseudo- |
Term used when something appears to be something else; imprecise |
Pseudotumor |
Term used to refer to any number of pathologies, both benign and malignant, that may produce a mass; imprecise |
Pseudolymphoma |
Old term used to refer to an inflammatory lesion that mimics a lymphoma, not any longer recommended; imprecise |
Pseudoinvasion or pseudoinvasive |
Spectrum of histologic changes producing the appearance of invasion; imprecise |
Suffix (-oid) |
-oid |
Suffix used to create an adjective; used when something is like something else; imprecise and undefined |
Carcinoid |
Term that is falling out of favor as there are more precise definitions of this neuroendocrine tumor; imprecise |
Epithelioid |
Adjective used to describe many different types of cells that look like epithelial cells to the microscopist, but for which the cell type is often not specified in a description; imprecise |
Rhabdoid |
Used in an undefined manner for a number of tumor appearances; imprecise |
Pagetoid |
Used to refer to a spectrum of appearances in an undefined manner; imprecise |
Suffix (-like) |
-like |
Similar to –oid, but by usage and convention is applied to different terms; undefined |
Adenoma-like |
Term used to mean something that is not a neoplasm, but simulates a benign epithelial neoplasm; undefined |
Osteoclast-like |
Used to refer to multi-nucleated giant cells that appear to look like osteoclasts, but are not situated in bone; undefined |
Microinvasion/microinvasive |
May be different definitions of this term depending on location; imprecise |
Dysplasia |
Dysplasia |
Two definitions of dysplasia; often used imprecisely |
Serrated dysplasia |
Often used in an undefined manner |
High-grade dysplasia |
Often used imprecisely |
Low-grade dysplasia |
Often used imprecisely |
Dysplastic epithelium |
Often used imprecisely |
Degeneration/degenerative: what is degenerative? How do we know it is degenerative? |
Malignant degeneration |
Lower grade neoplasms do not degenerate, they transform into high-grade neoplasms |
Cystic degeneration |
Most lesions do not truly form epithelial-lined cysts |
Degenerative nuclear atypia |
Imprecise array of nuclear changes that overlap with malignant changes; implies that a judgment has been made that a lesion is not malignant |
Degenerative changes |
Refers to a spectrum of changes that may or may not be ‘degenerative’ |
Eponyms: may be difficult to remember and often used in days before lesions were fully defined; many eponymous conditions have been shown to be other entities upon recent investigation and are therefore used improperly |
Barrett esophagus |
Refers to a spectrum of changes occurring in lower esophagus that can be defined more precisely |
Langerhans cell histiocytosis |
Refers to a spectrum of disease processes that are now considered to be neoplasms |
Paget disease |
Two distinct types of Paget disease; term often used imprecisely when referring to intraepithelial lesions |
Latinate terms: Difficult to use and remember |
Leiomyomatosis peritonealis disseminata |