Histological classification of gastritis and Helicobacter pylori infection: An agreement at last?

An international workshop has assessed and revised the Sydney System for the reporting of gastritis. Much of the original approach was retained including division into acute, chronic and special forms, and grading of chronic inflammation, polymorph activity, atrophy, intestinal metaplasia and H. pylori density into mild, moderate and marked categories. Visual analog scales have been introduced as a simple guide to grading. The four biopsy sites have been changed to optimize detection of H. pylori, and supplemented by a fifth biopsy from the incisura angularis, the site which is most likely to yield premalignant changes. Chronic gastritis is classified into non-atrophic and atrophic forms with the latter divided into autoimmune (diffuse corpus atrophy) and multifocal. Histological reporting of gastritis should take into account the topographical pattern (antral or corpus predominant), and the final diagnostic term should ideally combine morphology and etiology to maximize the clinical value of gastric biopsy diagnosis.