Fine Needle Aspiration of Sister Mary Joseph's Nodule

During a ten year period, since we introduced needle aspiration cytology at our institution, we have diagnosed five cases of umbilical metastasis (Sister Mary Joseph's nodule). In none of the cases was any false negative or false positive diagnosis rendered and the primary carcinoma was found below the diaphragm. In all the five cases, cell blocks of the aspirate were subsequently prepared, and highlighted the histologic features of the tumour which corresponded with the cytologic diagnosis. Immunohistochemical staining on the aspirate material in all the cases was considered quite useful in substantiating the cytohistologic diagnosis. Based on our findings, we suggest that fine-needle aspiration cytology as an initial diagnostic procedure in cases suspected of umbilical metastasis should be considered, since it is not only a simple, fast, accurate, and inexpensive diagnostic procedure, but can also save the patient from an invasive surgical procedure, the benefit of which is questionable.

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In the past the diagnosis usually has been made after surgery; 3-5 only recently fine-needle aspiration (FNA) has been emphasized as an initial diagnostic test. [6][7][8][9] We report our ten year experience with five examples of this lesion diagnosed by FNA.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Diagnosis of umbilical metastasis (sister Mary Joseph's nodule) by fine‐needle aspiration: An immunocytochemical study

Gupta¹,

Naran²,

McHutchison³

et al. 1994

“…Sister Mary Joseph, a nurse at Mayo clinic, was the first person to observe that the umbilical nodules are often associated with intra-abdominal cancer. 1 The umbilical nodule may be the symptom present in patients with internal malignancies or it may represent a late finding in patients with widespread disseminated disease. 2 Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) can prove to be simple, inexpensive, and reliable technique in making the diagnosis of these swellings, but only a few cases have been reported in the literature.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Fine‐needle aspiration cytology of Sister Mary Joseph's (paraumbilical) nodules

Handa¹,

Garg²,

Mohan³

2008

During a period of 5 years (2001-2005), six cases of Sister Mary Joseph's nodule (umbilical metastasis) were diagnosed by fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC). In all the cases, FNAC of umbilical nodules was the first investigation and subsequently the patients were investigated for the primary tumor. The primary carcinoma was found in the stomach in three cases, ovary in two cases and one case was of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Based on our findings, we suggest FNAC as an initial diagnostic procedure in cases suspected of umbilical metastasis. It is not only simple, fast, accurate and inexpensive but can also save the patient from other invasive diagnostic procedures.

“…2 It is now well-documented that gynecological, gastrointestinal, and urological malignancies can give rise to umbilical metastases. [3][4][5] Rarely these nodules may be the initial presentation along with the primary neoplasm, but more often they develop later in the course of the disease. The presence of "Sister Joseph's nodule" has prognostic and therapeutic implications, as it reflects disseminated disease.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Fine‐needle aspiration cytology of umbilical nodules: “Sister Joseph's nodule”

Sahai

Kapila

Verma

2001

Metastatic tumor deposits in the umbilicus are not uncommon. Fine-needle aspiration cytology is an important, simple, cost-effective diagnostic tool for delineating the value of umbilical nodules. However, only a few reviews and case reports of diagnosis of umbilical metastases by fine-needle aspiration cytology are available. A review of 52 cases of umbilical nodule aspirates over a 16-yr period forms the basis of this brief report.