Diagnostic imaging of gastrointestinal neuroendocrine tumours (GI-NETs): relationship between MDCT features and 2010 WHO classification

Abstract

Aims

We aimed to present our series of gastrointestinal neuroendocrine tumours (GI-NETs) in order to illustrate and highlight the associated contrast-enhanced multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT) features. We also attempted to identify a relationship between MDCT imaging and the 2010 World Health Organization (WHO) classification system.

Materials and methods

We selected all patients with pathologically proven GI-NETs diagnosed between January 2010 and August 2017. Only patients undergone contrast-enhanced MDCT imaging in the immediate preoperative period were included in our study. Later, two expert radiologists retrospectively assessed MDCT intestinal and extra-intestinal signs. We also analysed the relationship between MDCT imaging and the 2010 WHO classification.

Results

A total of 20 patients (13 males, 7 females, age range 37–89 years, mean age 69.9 years) were included in our study. The majority of GI-NETs (85%) occurred in the small bowel and mainly in the terminal ileum. Forty-five percentage of our GI-NETs were diagnosed after an access to emergency medical service for obstruction symptoms or gastrointestinal bleeding. Regarding intestinal signs, 15/20 patients showed an intraluminal nodular mass and 5/20 a wall thickening. Extra-intestinal signs were present in 75% of cases. Desmoplastic reaction and lymph nodes metastases were significantly correlated with higher grade of GI-NETs.

Conclusions

The majority of GI-NETs appears as intraluminal mass often associated with extra-intestinal signs. We found a significantly correlation between higher grade of GI-NETs and extra-intestinal signs. MDCT imaging may be useful in predicting the pathological classification of GI-NETs.

from #Head and Neck by Sfakianakis via simeraentaxei on Inoreader https://ift.tt/2OOsvz3