NLM Classification 2015 Edition

The NLM Classification, available online at http://www.nlm.nih.gov/class/, incorporates all additions and changes to the schedules and index from April 2014 through March 2015. The PDF version will be updated with 2015 classification data by the end of May 2015.

The WE (Musculoskeletal System) and WG (Cardiovascular System) schedules were the major area of focus for the 2015 edition.

Changes Made to the WE Schedule Outline Headers

• WE 168-190 Orthopedics. Reconstructive Orthopedics. Bone Transplantation was changed to Orthopedic Procedures.
• WE 300-400 Joint Tissues was changed to Joint and Connective Tissues.
• WE 700-715 Head and Trunk was changed to WE 700-708 Head and Neck.
• WE 710-760 Torso was added.
• WE 720-755 Back was deleted.

Revisions to WE and WG Class Number Captions and Notes for Better Scope Definition of the Number

For example:

• At WE 21, the caption was changed from Orthopedics as a profession. Osteology as a profession. Ethics. Peer review to Orthopedics, osteology or rheumatology as a profession. Ethics. Peer review.
• At WE 103, the caption was changed from Physical exertion to Movement. Locomotion.
• At WE 104, the caption was changed from Kinesthesis. Weight perception to Proprioception. Psychomotor performance.
• At WE 170, the note was added: Classify here all works on amputation regardless of site.
• At WE 172, the caption was changed from Prosthesis. Prosthesis implantation (General) to Artificial limbs.
• At WE 400, the caption was changed from Bursae to Synovial bursa. Bursitis.
• At WE 544, the caption was changed from Myositis. Fibrositis. Rheumatism to Rheumatic diseases.
• At WE 700, the caption was changed from Head and trunk to Head and neck.
• At WE 835, the caption was changed from Fingers. Toes to Fingers.
• At WE 880, the caption was changed from Ankle. Foot to Ankle. Foot. Toes.
• At WG 202, the caption was changed from Physiology. Heart beat mechanism to Physiology.
• At WG 205, the caption was changed from Cardiac emergencies to Cardiac emergency treatment.
• At WG 320, the caption was changed from Functional heart disease to Neurocirculatory asthenia.
• At WG 330, the caption was changed from Disorders of the heart beat to Cardiac arrhythmias (General).

Changes to Other Class Schedules

For example:

• At W 323, the caption was changed from Medical missions to Missions. Missionaries.
  The note was revised to: Classify biographical or autobiographical works of medical missionary doctors and nurses in WZ 100.
• At WP 155, the note was added: Classify works on the pelvic bones in WE 760.
• At WQ 202, the caption was changed from Diagnosis to Pregnancy determination.
• At WQ 225, the caption was changed from Spontaneous abortion. Fetal death to Spontaneous abortion. Fetal death. Perinatal death.

Class Numbers Added and Canceled

Seventy-five (75) new class numbers were added. Three (3) class numbers were canceled.

Class Numbers Added — 2015

New Number	Class Name	Former Number(s)
QS 19	Schools, departments, and faculties of anatomy, histology, or embryology (Table G)	None
QS 19.1	[Schools, departments, and faculties of anatomy, histology, or embryology] General coverage (Not Table G)	None
QT 19.1	[Schools, departments, and faculties of physiology] General coverage (Not Table G)	QT 19
QV 19.1	[Schools, departments, and faculties of pharmacy] General coverage (Not Table G)	QV 19
QW 19	Schools, departments, and faculties of microbiology or immunology (Table G)	None
QW 19.1	[Schools, departments, and faculties of microbiology or immunology] General coverage (Not Table G)	None
QX 19.1	[Schools, departments, and faculties of parasitology] General coverage (Not Table G)	QX 19
QZ 19.1	[Schools, departments, and faculties of pathology] General coverage (Not Table G)	QZ 19
W 19.1	[Schools and colleges (General or not elsewhere classified)] General coverage (Not Table G)	W 19
W 20.55.C5	Clinical trials [General]	None
WA 19.1	[Schools, departments, and faculties of public health] General coverage (Not Table G)	WA 19
WA 487.5.E6	Emergency responders [Occupational accidents and injuries]	WA 487
WC 19.1	[Schools, departments, and faculties of infectious diseases] General coverage (Not Table G)	WC 19
WE 19.1	[Schools, departments and faculties of orthopedics] General coverage (Not Table G)	WE 19
WE 202	Bone physiology	WE 200
WE 504	Muscle physiology	WE 500
WE 552	Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis	WE 550
WE 560	Electromyography	WE 500
WE 710	Torso (General or not elsewhere classified)	None
WE 727	Spinal diseases	WE 725
WE 737	Spinal injuries	WE 725
WE 760	Pelvis	WE 750
WE 833	Hand deformities	WE 830
WE 862	Hip replacement	WE 860
WE 872	Knee and knee joint injuries	WE 870
WE 874	Knee replacement	WE 870
WE 882	Ankle injuries. Foot injuries. Toe injuries	Various numbers
WF 19.1	[Schools, departments, and faculties of pulmonary medicine] General coverage (Not Table G)	WF 19
WG 19.1	[Schools, departments, and faculties of cardiology] General coverage (Not Table G)	WG 19
WG 108	Blood pressure	WG 106
WG 166.5.C2	Artificial cardiac pacing	WG 168
WG 166.5.E5	Electric countershock	WG 330
WG 166.5.I7	Ischemic preconditioning. Ischemic postconditioning	QZ 170
WG 168.5	Extracorporeal circulation	WG 168
WG 214	Heart arrest	WG 205
WG 226	Heart neoplasms	None
WG 282	Myocardial ischemia	WG 300
WG 299	Coronary vessels	WG 300
WG 310	Myocardial infarction	WG 300
WG 330.5	Specific arrhythmias, A-Z	WG 330
WG 330.5.A5	Atrial fibrillation	WG 330
WG 330.5.A6	Atrial flutter	WG 330
WG 330.5.B7	Bradycardia	WG 330
WG 330.5.H4	Heart block	WG 330
WG 330.5.L6	Long QT syndrome	WG 330
WG 330.5.P7	Pre-Excitation syndromes	WG 330
WG 330.5.S5	Sinus arrhythmia	WG 330
WG 330.5.T2	Tachycardia	WG 330
WG 330.5.V4	Ventricular fibrillation	WG 330
WG 343	Pulmonary hypertension	WG 340
WG 345	Renal hypertension	WG 340
WG 350	Hypotension	WG 340
WG 505	Vascular diseases (General or not elsewhere classified)	WG 500
WH 19.1	[Schools, departments and faculties of hematology] General coverage (Not Table G)	WH 19
WI 19.1	[Schools, departments, and faculties of gastroenterology] General coverage (Not Table G)	WI 19
WJ 19.1	[Schools, departments, and faculties of urology] General coverage (Not Table G)	WJ 19
WK 19.1	[Schools, departments and faculties of endocrinology] General coverage (Not Table G)	WK 19
WL 19.1	[Schools, departments, and faculties of neurology] [General coverage (Not Table G)	WL 19
WL 141.5.M22	Magnetic resonance spectroscopy [Of the brain or nervous system]	WL 141
WM 19.1	[Schools, departments, and faculties of psychiatry] General coverage (Not Table G)	WM 19
WN 19.1	[Schools, departments, and faculties of radiology] General coverage (Not Table G)	WN 19
WO 19.1	[Schools, departments, and faculties of surgery] General coverage (Not Table G)	WO 19
WO 219.1	[Schools, departments, and faculties of anesthesiology] General coverage (Not Table G)	WO 219
WP 19.1	[Schools, departments, and faculties of gynecology] General coverage (Not Table G)	WP 19
WQ 19.1	[Schools, departments, and faculties of obstetrics] General coverage (Not Table G)	WQ 19.1
WQ 203	Preimplantation diagnosis	None
WR 19.1	[Schools, departments, and faculties of dermatology] General coverage (Not Table G)	WR 19
WS 19.1	[Schools, departments, and faculties of pediatrics] General coverage (Not Table G)	WS 19
WT 19.1	[Schools, departments, and faculties of geriatrics] General coverage (Not Table G)	WT 19
WU 19.1	[Schools, departments, and faculties of dentistry] General coverage (Not Table G)	WU 19.1
WV 19.1	[Schools, departments, and faculties of otolaryngology] General coverage (Not Table G)	WV 19
WW 19.1	[Schools, departments, and faculties of ophthalmology] General coverage (Not Table G)	WW 19
WX 19.1	[Schools, departments, and faculties of hospital administration] General coverage (Not Table G)	WX 19
WY 19.1	[Schools, departments, and faculties of nursing] General coverage (Not Table G)	WY 19
WY 167	Imaging nursing. Radiologic nursing	None

Class Numbers Canceled — 2015

Canceled Number	Class Name	Now Classed in
QY 19	Schools and colleges	QZ 19
QZ 45	Developmental defects	Various numbers
WG 110	Experimental studies	WG 20

Changes to Table G (Geographic Notations)

One change was made to Table G (Geographic Notations).

• GS3 — Scandinavia was changed to Scandinavia and Nordic Countries.

Changes to the Index

One hundred and thirty-one (131) new index entries were created of which twenty-three (23) are from the 2015 MeSH; the remainder are MeSH terms from previous years. All main index headings are now linked to the 2015 vocabulary in the MeSH Browser.

1. Absorbable Implants
2. Aneurysm, Dissecting -- WG 580
3. Aneurysm, False -- WG 580
4. Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal -- WG 410
5. Aortic Aneurysm, Thoracic -- WG 410
6. Aortic Diseases -- WG 410
7. Aortic Rupture -- WG 410
8. Arthritis, Psoriatic -- WE 344
9. Arthritis, Reactive -- WE 344
10. Ataxia Telangiectasia -- WL 320
11. Atherectomy -- WG 170
12. Atherectomy, Coronary -- WG 169
13. Biological Products
14. Bioprinting -- QT 36
15. Bioprospecting
16. Blood Pressure Monitoring, Ambulatory -- WB 280
17. Blood Volume Determination -- WG 141
18. Bone Malalignment -- WE 225
19. Bone Nails -- WE 185
20. Bone Remodeling -- WE 202
21. Bony Callus -- WE 200
22. Brugada Syndrome -- WG 330
23. Budd-Chiari Syndrome -- WG 625.H3
24. Cardiac Care Facilities -- WG 27-28
25. Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy Devices -- WG 26
26. Cardiac Tamponade -- WG 275
27. Cardio-Renal Syndrome -- WG 370
28. Carney Complex -- WG 226
29. Catheters
30. Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy -- WL 355
31. Cogan Syndrome -- WW 140
32. Coronary Aneurysm -- WG 580
33. Coronary Restenosis -- WG 300
34. Culturally Competent Care -- W 84.5
35. Defibrillators -- WG 26
36. DiGeorge Syndrome -- QS 675
37. Diskectomy -- WE 725
38. Endovascular Procedures -- WG 170
39. Fabry Disease -- WD 205.5.L5
40. Femur Head Necrosis -- WE 865
41. Fibromuscular Dysplasia -- WG 510
42. Foot Ulcer
43. Forehead -- WE 705-706
44. Forests -- QH 541.5.F6
45. Fracture Healing -- WE 180
46. Fractures, Cartilage -- WE 180
47. Gastric Antral Vascular Ectasia -- WI 387
48. Gated Blood-Pool Imaging -- WG 141.5.R3
49. Gray Matter -- WL 300
50. Health Information Exchange
51. Heart Arrest, Induced -- WG 169
52. Heart Bypass, Left -- WG 168.5
53. Heart Bypass, Right -- WG 169
54. Heart Neoplasms -- WG 226
55. Heart Rupture -- WG 210
56. Hemipelvectomy -- WE 170
57. Hemodiafiltration -- WJ 378
58. Hemorheology -- WG 106
59. Hemostatic Disorders -- WH 312
60. Hermeneutics
61. Hyperostosis -- WE 225
62. Hyperostosis, Cortical, Congenital -- WE 250
63. Hyperostosis, Diffuse Idiopathic Skeletal -- WE 727
64. Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular -- WG 210
65. Infant Death -- WS 430
66. Intracranial Hemorrhages -- WL 355
67. Ischemic Postconditioning
68. Jaw, Edentulous
69. Kyphoplasty -- WE 725
70. Laminoplasty -- WE 725
71. Laser-Doppler Flowmetry -- WG 104
72. Leukomalacia, Periventricular -- WS 410
73. Licensed Practical Nurses
74. Medical Writing -- WZ 345
75. Medication Therapy Management -- QV 737
76. Missionaries
77. Muscle Fatigue
78. National Institutes of Health (U.S.)
79. Neuroendocrine Cells -- WL 102.5
80. Neuroscience Nursing -- WY 160.5
81. Noonan Syndrome -- QS 675
82. Nuns
83. Nurse's Practice Patterns -- WY 128
84. Palliative Medicine -- WB 310
85. Pelvic Floor
86. Pericarditis, Tuberculous -- WG 275
87. Perinatal Death -- WQ 225
88. Periostitis -- WE 251
89. Photopheresis -- WB 480
90. Posterior Cruciate Ligament -- WE 870
91. Postthrombotic Syndrome -- WG 610
92. Practice Management, Veterinary -- SF 756.4
93. Pregnancy, Ovarian -- WQ 220
94. Preimplantation Diagnosis -- WQ 203
95. Pseudoxanthoma Elasticum -- WD 375
96. Psychology, Developmental
97. Purpura, Hyperglobulinemic -- WH 320
98. Rainforest -- QH 541.5.R27
99. Range of Motion, Articular -- WE 141
100. Retinal Vein Occlusion -- WG 625.R38
101. Rhinitis, Allergic -- WV 335
102. Robotic Surgical Procedures -- WO 505
103. Round Ligament -- WP 275
104. Sacrum -- WE 750
105. Sclerosing Solutions
106. Shy-Drager Syndrome -- WL 358.5
107. Slit Lamp
108. Social Capital -- HM 708
109. Social Skills
110. Social Theory -- H 61-61.4
111. Spastic Paraplegia, Hereditary -- WE 550
112. Sternoclavicular Joint -- WE 810
113. Surgeons
114. Tachycardia, Supraventricular -- WG 330.5.T2
115. Tachycardia, Ventricular -- WG 330.5.T2
116. Takayasu Arteritis -- WG 515
117. Temperance Movement -- HV 5701-5720.5
118. Tenodesis -- WE 600
119. Torso -- WE 710
120. Toxicokinetics -- QV 38
121. Transplant Recipients
122. Tropomyosin -- WE 500
123. Ultrafiltration -- QD 63.F5
124. Uterine Balloon Tamponade -- WP 440
125. Vasculitis, Leukocytoclastic, Cutaneous -- WG 505
126. Venous Thromboembolism -- WG 610
127. Ventricular Dysfunction -- WG 210
128. Ventricular Function -- WG 202
129. von Hippel-Lindau Disease -- QS 677
130. White Matter -- WL 300
131. Zygomatic Fractures

Numerous main index entries and cross references were modified to reflect changes in the MeSH vocabulary.

For example:

• Consumer Satisfaction was deleted as a main heading and made a cross reference to Consumer Behavior.
• Food, Supplemented, formerly a cross reference to Dietary Supplements, is now a cross reference to Food, Fortified.
• Adolescent Psychology was changed to Psychology, Adolescent.
• Toxicokinetics, formerly a cross reference to Pharmacokinetics, is now a main index heading.

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