> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.snomed.org/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.snomed.org/snomed-ct-specifications/snomed-ct-editorial-guide/readme/authoring/domain-specific-modeling/body-structure/index-2/morphologic-abnormalities-vs-findings.md).

# Morphologic Abnormalities vs. Findings

Concepts from the Morphologic Abnormality hierarchy should not be used in place of concepts from the Clinical Findings hierarchy, even though they appear to refer to similar *clinical* *situations*.

* For example
  * 4147007 | Mass (morphologic abnormality)| is not a finding, but 300848003 | Mass of body structure (finding)| is a finding

Morphologies are used as the values of the defining attributes of findings and procedures. Findings are used to represent the combination of a morphology and a location.

* For example
  * 300923002 | Cyst of scalp (disorder)| represents cystic type of morphology that has the location, scalp

Many morphologies have names that could be misinterpreted as implying a process rather than a structure.

Inflammation might mean the *structural-morphologic* features of inflammation, such as inflammatory cell infiltrates; or it might mean the *process* that causes the structural changes. Within the morphologic abnormality hierarchy, the *structural* interpretation is intended, not the *process* interpretation.

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