In general, concepts are represented in the singular, rather than the plural.
For example:
Disorder of lung (disorder), not disorder of lungs
FSNs should not be plural unless the concept necessarily involves multiples.
Unintended plurals might be incorrectly interpreted. An unintended plural is the use of a plural when, in fact, there is only one entity.
Correct example,
Incorrect example,
Organizational nodes or grouper concepts may be plural.
For example,
A concept that necessarily involves multiples should have a plural FSN.
For example,
Bilateral atrophy of testes (disorder)
It is advisable to keep track of these exceptions in a separate subset or using a special term type, so that they can be excluded when the singular/plural distinction is important for mapping. |