Fact-sheet: Gastrointestinal carcinoid - neuroendocrine - tumor
Updated on 02/17/2022 at 4:04 PM
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Definition
Slow-growing neuroendocrine tumor arising from enterochromaffin cells disseminated along the gastrointestinal tract: small bowel (45%), rectum (20%), appendix (17%), colon (11%), stomach (7%), liver exceptionally.
Gastric carcinoid tumor: more often affects the fundus with two main types = single ulcerated intramural lesion or multiple polypoid lesions
Intestinal carcinoid tumor (small bowel series, CT enterography, MR enterography): sharply defined filling defect, single or multiple, submucosal in location, sessile with narrowing at the base of implantation. Possible strictures, plication, retractile mesenteritis appearance and involvement of the folds.
CT
Mesenteric tumor mass, generally large with spiculated contours, with thickening of adjacent digestive walls Retractile mesenteritis Hypervascularized on the arterial phase Fibrous component enhanced on delayed imaging Search for lymphadenopathy and hepatic or bone metastases (sclerotic)
Nuclear medicine
Octreoscan: Reference examination for detecting and localizing a carcinoid tumor
Differential diagnosis
Desmoid tumor