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. 1994 Aug;47(8):711-3.
doi: 10.1136/jcp.47.8.711.

Observer variability in histopathological reporting of malignant bronchial biopsy specimens

R A Burnett  1 , J Swanson Beck, S R Howatson, F D Lee, A M Lessells, K M McLaren, S Ogston, A J Robertson, J G Simpson, G D Smith, et al.
Affiliations

Observer variability in histopathological reporting of malignant bronchial biopsy specimens

R A Burnett et al. J Clin Pathol. 1994 Aug.

Abstract

Aims: To evaluate the ability of histopathologists to classify lung carcinomas on bronchial biopsy material using the current World Health Organisation (WHO) classification.

Methods: Eleven histopathologists each reviewed 100 randomly selected bronchial biopsy specimens which had originally been reported as showing lung carcinoma. A single haematoxylin and eosin stained section from each case was circulated and a standard proforma completed. These were analysed using kappa statistics.

Results: The histopathologists were excellent at distinguishing between small cell and non-small-cell carcinoma kappa = 0.86), but not so good at subclassifying the non-small cell carcinoma group kappa = 0.25).

Conclusions: The clinically important distinction between small cell and non-small cell carcinoma of the lung is reliably made by competent histopathologists even on limited material.

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