NLM Classification 2017 Summer Edition Now Available

Starting with 2017, the NLM Classification moved from an annual spring update to twice-yearly updates. The 2017 winter version, published January 26, 2017, encompassed changes to the NLM Classification resulting from new and changed 2017 Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) terms as well as additional minor updates to the index and schedule. The 2017 summer version, now available, encompasses the systematic review of selected schedules and other miscellaneous updates.

Summary Statistics for the 2017 Summer Edition

Fifty-seven (57) new class numbers were added. Eleven (11) class numbers were canceled.

Class Numbers Added —2017 Summer Edition

New Number	Class Name	Former Number(s)
QT 260.5.S5	Skating	QT 260
QU 55.97	Transcription factors	QU 55
QU 510	DNA damage. DNA repair	QU 475; QU 477
QU 515	DNA replication	QU 475
QU 520	Molecular evolution. Genetic selection	QU 475
QV 380	Radiation-sensitizing agents. Radiation-protective agents	WN 610; WN 650
QV 766.5	Specific medicinal plants, A-Z	QV 766
QV 766.5.A6	Aloe	QV 766
QV 766.5.A7	Apiaceae	QV 766
QV 766.5.A8	Asteraceae	QV 766
QV 766.5.B7	Brassicaceae	QV 766
QV 766.5.C2	Cannabaceae	QV 766
QV 766.5.F2	Fabaceae	QV 766
QV 766.5.G6	Ginkgo biloba	QV 766
QV 766.5.L2	Lamiales	QV 766
QV 766.5.L4	Liliaceae	QV 766
QV 766.5.P2	Panax	QV 766
QV 766.5.P6	Polygonaceae	QV 766
QV 766.5.R2	Ranunculaceae	QV 766
QV 766.5.R6	Rosales	QV 766
QV 766.5.R8	Rubiaceae	QV 766
QV 766.5.T5	Theales	QV 766
QV 766.5.Z5	Zingiberaceae	QV 766
WA 30.2	Climate change	WB 700, etc.
WD 760	Cosmic radiation	WN 415, etc.
WE 757	Abdomen	WI 900-970
WI 190	Gastrointestinal tract	WI 100-113
WI 195	Gastrointestinal diseases (General)	WI 140
WI 255	Esophageal diseases (General)	WI 250
WI 258	Deglutition disorders	WI 250
WI 260	Esophageal neoplasms	WI 250
WI 306	Stomach diseases (General)	WI 300
WI 418	Intestinal diseases (General)	WI 400
WI 422	Crohn disease	WI 512
WI 518	Large intestine	WI 400
WI 521	Colonic diseases (General)	WI 520
WI 603	Rectal diseases (General)	WI 600
WI 710	Liver diseases (General)	WI 700
WI 712	Hepatic insufficiency	WI 700
WI 753	Biliary tract diseases (General)	WI 750
WI 803	Pancreatic diseases (General)	WI 800
WI 980	Digestive system surgical procedures	WI 900
WL 141.5.B6	Brain mapping	WL 335
WM 168	Neurodevelopmental disorders (General or not elsewhere classified)	None
WM 169	Attention deficit and disruptive behavior disorders	WM 165
WM 171.7	Bipolar disorder	WM 207
WM 190.5.P2	Paranoid personality disorder	WM 190
WM 190.5.P3	Passive-aggressive personality disorder	WM 190
WM 190.5.S3	Schizoid personality disorder	WM 190
WM 190.5.S4	Schizotypal personality disorder	WM 190
WM 190.5.S8	Stereotyped behavior	WM 190
WM 192	Disruptive, impulse control, and conduct disorders	WM 190.5.I6
WM 273	Alcohol drinking	WM 274, etc.
WM 295	Smoking (General or not elsewhere classified)	WM 290, etc.
WN 182	Computer-assisted image interpretation	WB 141
WN 202	Interventional radiography	WN 200
WN 250.5.H4	Heavy ion radiotherapy	WN 250

 

Class Numbers Canceled—2017 Summer Edition

Canceled Number	Class Name	Now Classed in
QU 4	General works [Biochemistry. Cell Biology and Genetics]	QU 34
WD 200.5.P7	Protein-losing enteropathies	WI 418
WI 150	Functional disorders	WI 143
WI 704	Liver function in food metabolism	WI 702
WI 940	Umbilical region	WE 757
WM 190.5.I6	Impulse control disorders. Gambling. Fire setting behavior	WM 192
WN 300	General works [Radium]	WN 440, etc.
WN 340	Therapeutic use [Radium]	WN 440, etc.
WN 415	Biological aspects of nuclear medicine and atomic energy (General)	QC
WN 420	Radioisotopes. Radioactive elements	WN 440, etc.
WN 630	Injurious effects on plant life (related to human ecology)	QK 757

Numerous class number captions or notes and schedule headers were modified.

Seventy-five (75) index main headings were added; 99 index headings were deleted; and 526 index entries were modified.

Systematic Reviews for the 2017 Summer Edition

The major focus of the 2017 summer version was the systematic review of the following schedules: WI (Digestive System), WN (Radiology. Diagnostic Imaging), and a partial review of the WM schedule: WM 140-308 (Mental Disorders) due to major restructuring of Mental Disorders tree (F3) based on revisions to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM).

Highlights from the WI (Digestive System) Review

• The gastrointestinal tract moved from the WI 100 area (digestive system) to the new number: WI 190
• Several new class numbers created for disease terms, e.g., Esophageal Diseases, formerly classed at WI 250 Esophagus, now classed in the new number WI 255 Esophageal diseases (General)
• The large intestine moved from WI 400 Intestines (General) to the new number: WI 518.
• For specificity and consistency, the specific region names added in front of existing generic disease and surgery class captions. For example, WI 320 changed from Neoplasms to Stomach neoplasms; WI 480 changed from Surgery (General) to Intestinal surgery.
• Distinction made between Abdomen (now classed in new number WE 757) and Abdominal Cavity (classed at WI 900)
• New number, WI 980, created for general works on surgery of the digestive system or gastrointestinal tract.

Highlights from the WM 140-308 (Mental Disorders) Review
With 2016 MeSH, major changes were made to the Mental Disorders F3 tree based on revisions to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). The corresponding areas of the NLM Classification were updated.

• Behavioral symptoms for which there are no classification numbers for related disorders, now classed in WM 140 with general mental disorders rather than WM 165. WM 165 now limited to works on self-injurious and dangerous behaviors.
• New number, WM 168, created for Neurodevelopmental Disorders in adults.
• New number, WM 169, created for Attention Deficit and Disruptive Behavior Disorders in adults.
• Neurotic Disorders deleted as a header for WM 170-197. Class numbers WM 171 through WM 184 were outdented to the far left level equal to Neurotic Disorders.
• Several specific personality disorders added to the existing A-Z structure at WM 190.5.
• WM 190.5.I6 (Impulse control disorders. Gambling. Fire setting behavior) canceled and redirected to new number, WM 192.
• The header for WM 200-220 changed from Psychotic Disorders to Schizophrenia Spectrum and Other Psychotic Disorders. Class numbers WM 202 through WM 220 were outdented to the far left level equal to Psychotic Disorders.
• The WM 270-290 Substances-Related Disorders area broadened to include Behaviors:
  • New number, WM 273, created for Alcohol Drinking
  • Marijuana use added to caption at WM 276 Marijuana abuse. Use of medical marijuana is classified in WB 925. Legalization of marijuana classed in QV 732-733.
  • Tobacco use added to caption at WM 290 Tobacco use disorder. References to HV and QV under Tobacco Use deleted in the index.
  • Smoking dependence redirected from WM 290 to new number, WM 295, created for Smoking in general. References to HV and QV under Smoking were deleted in the index.

Highlights from the WN (Radiology. Diagnostic Imaging) Review

• WN 250 vs. QZ 269 Radiotherapy clarified:
  • WN 250- Includes works focusing on general aspects of radiotherapy.
  • QZ 269 - Includes works focusing on treatment of neoplasms.
• Changes to classification of radioactive elements:
  • Medical uses of radioactive elements classed in WN 440-450.
  • Adverse effects of radioactive elements classed in WN 610-615.
  • Works on general physics and chemistry of radioactive elements are classed in the Library of Congress' (LC’s) QC or QD schedule.
  • Class numbers, WN 300 General works on Radium, WN 340, Therapeutic use of radium, and WN 415 Biological aspects of nuclear medicine and atomic energy, canceled. The corresponding headers were deleted.
• WN 600, Radiological health, is restricted to general effects of ionizing radiation on humans. Animals and plant life excluded.
• Several changes made to WN 610-630 area:
  • WN 610, Radiation injuries, now limited to humans. Radiation effects on plants classed in LC’s QK schedule. Radiation injuries from radiography and radiotherapy procedures classified here rather than with the procedure.
  • WN 615, Radioactive pollution and pollutants (General), now includes general works on radioactive hazard releases.
  • WN 620, formerly Injurious effects on man and animals, now limited to Experimental radiation injuries, which per MeSH is for vertebrate animals only.
  • WN 630, Injurious effects on plant life (related to human ecology) canceled. Radiation effects on plants classed in LC’s QK schedule.

Other 2017 Summer Edition Changes

In addition to the systematic reviews of the WI, WM, and WN schedules, other additions and changes were made:

Table G Changes
The Table G notation for FA1 Great Britain updated to reflect the MeSH change from Great Britain to United Kingdom.

Form Number Policy Change
Use of the form numbers 5, 7, and 9 no longer restricted to works that cover the overall subject of the schedule.

Global Climate Change and Human Health
New number, WA 30.2, created for Climate Change. Climate Change, Global Warning, and Greenhouse Effects were redirected from WB 700 Medical geography to this new number. Table G added to WB 710 Diseases of geographic areas. WB 700 should be used for works with no geographic emphasis.

Classification of Medicinal Plants
Sixteen (16) new numbers for specific medicinal plants were added under the new A-Z structure under QV 766. Medicinal plants not fitting in any A-Z number will be classed in QV 766. Specific medicinal plants with geographic distribution are classed in QV 770. Non-medicinal aspects of plants are classed in the appropriate QK number.

Genetic Processes Changes
With 2017 MeSH, the term Genetic Processes was deleted. The NLM Classification was updated to reflect this change:

• QU 475 Genetic processes was changed to Gene expression. Gene expression regulation
• QU 477 Pathologic genetic processes was changed to Genetic variation and outdented
• New numbers were created for:
  • QU 55.97 -- Transcription factors
  • QU 510 -- DNA damage. DNA repair
  • QU 515 -- DNA replication
  • QU 520 -- Molecular evolution. Genetic selection

The PDF version will be updated with 2017 winter and summer classification data by the fall of 2017.

To learn more about the NLM Classification see the Fact Sheet.