Fallopian tubes & broad ligament
Broad ligament
Walthard cell nests
Authors: Nicole Riddle, M.D., Jamie Shutter, M.D.
Topic Completed: 1 September 2013
Minor changes: 30 December 2020
Copyright: 2002-2021, PathologyOutlines.com, Inc.
PubMed Search: Walthard cell nests
Table of Contents
Definition / general | Gross description | Gross images | Microscopic (histologic) description | Microscopic (histologic) images | Positive stains | Negative stains | Differential diagnosisCite this page: Riddle N, Shutter J. Walthard cell nests. PathologyOutlines.com website. https://www.pathologyoutlines.com/topic/fallopiantubeswalthard.html. Accessed January 24th, 2021.
Definition / general
- Benign epithelial cell clusters found in perifallopian tube tissue
- Also called transitional / urethelial cell metaplasia
- May be found anywhere in broad ligament, including ovarian hilum
- May be source of Brenner tumors or primary urethelial cell carcinomas (parafallopian tube transitional cell carcinoma, Gynecol Oncol 2002;86:379)
Gross description
- May be white / yellow nodules or cysts up to 2 mm
- Often an incidental microscopic finding
Gross images
AFIP images
Several small yellow
nodules clustered on
serosa of isthmic
portion of tube
Microscopic (histologic) description
- Well circumscribed, small, round collections of flat to cuboidal cells with minimal atypia
- Elliptical nuclei with prominent nuclear grooves, 1 - 2 small nucleoli
- May see inspissated eosinophilic secretion or mucin within lumina
- No / rare mitotic figures
Microscopic (histologic) images
AFIP images
Walthard nests
Images hosted on other servers:
Warthard cell nests at lower right
Note "coffee bean" nuclei
Positive stains
- CK7, involucrin
Differential diagnosis
- Brenner tumor (primary)
- Serosal implant from GYN, GU or other tumor
