Johns Hopkins Hospital has been named the top hospital in the United States for the 20th year in a row by U.S. News & World Report.

The magazine's annual rankings placed the Baltimore hospital first in five medical specialties and in the top five in 10 others.

The hospital topped the gynecology; ear, nose and throat; neurology and neurosurgery; urology; and rheumatology categories.

Hopkins spokesman Gary Stephenson said the hospital saw no surprises in the rankings this year, though the staff were delighted to see the neurology and neurosurgery department move to the top spot. It was No. 2 last year.

"You never get used to this. We often frankly downplay the significance of this. But if we ever didn't get number one, I think we would all be pretty concerned," Stephenson said.

The Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., and Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston took second and third on the U.S. News honor roll, respectively. - Liz Essley