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DevToxNomenclature: Background

The use of a harmonized and internationally accepted nomenclature is a basic requirement for the operation of a data base like DevTox. Only if the same terminology is used in all studies, a comparison of data across different experiments is possible. A first approach of establishing such a harmonized terminology was made in 1997 by a publication of the International Federation of Teratology Societies IFTS (Teratology 55, 249-292, 1997). Initiated by the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) and the Free University of Berlin in 1995, a series of Workshops on the Terminology in Developmental Toxicology took place since then in Berlin with the goal to eliminate ambiguities and inconsistencies within the IFTS terminology and to establish working definitions for the two classification categories "malformation" and "variation".

The results of all these activities were used to establish the lexicon of the DevTox data base. Adaptations for a better use in computerized systems were made by clearly dividing a diagnosis into a localization term and an observation term and by eliminating all topographical descriptions from the observation term. Furthermore, a hierarchical structure for the localizations was added.

From the information stored in the lexicon of the DevTox data base and from images and data provided by the project partners, the Web-based DevTox Nomenclature information system, called "DevTox.nom", has been created. The easy-to-use Web interface allows different views of the nomenclature, images and data and a quick navigation throughout the complete site. DevTox.nom currently consists of more than 1.300 images, showing examples of external, skeletal and soft tissue anomalies in rats, mice and rabbits. In addition, it provides short descriptions of each finding and in some cases synonyms and further diagnostic notes. All users are actively invited to contribute to this site by submitting additional images.

Please see also the page "Technical information" for browser requirements.