Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 21, 2026

Use of Electromagnetic Navigational Transthoracic Needle Aspiration (E-TTNA) for Sampling of Lung Nodules
Published on: May 23, 2015
Sister Mary Joseph's nodule
Sandra Davar1, Dominique Hanna
1Divion of Dermatolgy, CHUM-Hôpital Saint-Luc, Montreal, Quebec.
Background:
Sister Mary Joseph's nodule (SMJN) represents an unusual clinical feature of metastatic deposit at the umbilicus originating from an intra-abdominal malignancy.
Objective:
To outline the paucity of such a condition, review the associated pathologies, and demonstrate the importance of clinical and histopathologic correlation.
Methods:
Case report of a 75-year-old man with vesical and prostatic cancers treated 2 years prior to presenting with an umbilical lesion. Histopathologic and radiologic examinations were performed to confirm the clinical diagnosis.
Results:
Histopathology of the umbilical biopsy revealed a carcinoma of urothelial origin, but immunohistochemistry suggested a squamous cell carcinoma. Clinically, the lesion did not support a diagnosis of primary squamous cell carcinoma; in addition, the positron emission tomographic scan revealed a captation at the ureterovesical junction that was compatible with vesical cancer relapse.
Conclusion:
SMJN is a rare but typical cutaneous metastasis of internal malignancy, and its recognition is of great importance because it may be the first presenting sign in a patient with an unknown malignant disease.
Related Concept Videos
The Parathyroid Glands
Oxyphil cells, whose functions remain elusive, emerge during late puberty, adding a layer of complexity to the parathyroid gland's intricacies. In contrast, principal parathyroid cells undertake a vital role by producing...
Attachment of Sister Chromatids
Attachment of Sister Chromatids
Secondary Lymphoid Organs
The spleen is a vital organ in the lymphatic system, nestled in the upper left side of the abdomen. It is composed of two primary regions: the red pulp and the white pulp, each having distinct functions. The red pulp performs a significant role in blood filtration. It efficiently purges the blood of old or damaged red blood cells and...
The Thyroid Gland
The follicles have a central cavity lined by simple cuboidal to squamous epithelial cells called follicular cells. These cells produce the glycoprotein...
Abnormal Proliferation
