Interobserver discrepancy using the 1998 World Health Organization/International Society of Urologic Pathology classification of urothelial neoplasms: practical choices for patient care.

Purpose: Morphological classifications designed by experts to stratify neoplasms according to biological potential must define categories that are reproducible among practitioners or the schemes actually create the heterogeneous populations that they seek to avoid. The application of the 1998 World Health Organization/International Society of Urologic Pathology scheme for urothelial neoplasms was studied in a community practice setting. We documented interpretive discrepancies for each category of neoplasm and determined whether a period of pathologist education may have a positive effect on the frequency of discrepant interpretations.

Accurate pathological staging of urothelial neoplasms requires better cystoscopic sampling.

Purpose: The frequency with which muscularis propria was sampled by urologists and the sources of interpretive discrepancies among pathologists were studied in a community practice setting.

Materials And Methods: A total of 217 consecutive cases of urothelial neoplasm were independently reviewed by 3 pathologists. The presence or absence of muscularis propria as well as interpretive discrepancies were recorded.