Cystic changes in intraabdominal extrahepatic metastases from gastrointestinal stromal tumors treated with imatinib.
OBJECTIVE
This study was undertaken for the purpose of describing the CT features of intra-abdominal extra-hepatic metastases from gastrointestinal stromal tumors in patients who were treated with imatinib.


METHODS
Eleven patients with intra-abdominal extra-hepatic metastases from gastrointestinal stromal tumors, who were treated with imatinib between May 2001 and December 2003, were included in this study. The clinical findings and CT scans were retrospectively reviewed. The metastatic lesions were assessed according to the location, size (greatest diameter), attenuation, and the enhancing pattern before and after imatinib treatment.


RESULTS
Prior to the treatment, the sizes and attenuation values of the metastatic lesions ranged from 5 to 20 cm and from 63 to 131 H, respectively. The metastatic lesions showed a heterogeneous enhancement pattern on the contrast-enhanced CT scans. After the treatment, the metastatic lesions became smaller in all 11 patients, and the corresponding attenuation value ranged from 15 to 51 H. The metastatic lesions became homogeneous and cystic in appearance on the follow-up CT scans, mimicking ascites.


CONCLUSIONS
Intra-abdominal extra-hepatic metastases of patients with gastrointestinal stromal tumors treated with imatinib may appear as well-circumscribed cystic lesions on contrast-enhanced CT. These metastases are likely to become smaller and resemble ascites, but may persist indefinitely on the followup CT.
Department of Radiology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Institute of Radiation Medicine, SNUMRC, Chongno-gu, Korea.
Hyo-Cheol
HC
Kim
Jeong Min
JM
Lee
Seung Hong
SH
Choi
Heon
H
Han
Sam Soo
SS
Kim
Sang Hyun
SH
Lee
Joon Koo
JK
Han
Byung Ihn
BI
Choi
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001549:Benzamides; D003287:Contrast Media; D046152:Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D000068877:Imatinib Mesylate; D007472:Iohexol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000556:secondary; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010534:Peritoneal Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000556:secondary; D010879:Piperazines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D011743:Pyrimidines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D001549:Benzamides; D003287:Contrast Media; D010879:Piperazines; D011743:Pyrimidines; D007472:Iohexol; C038192:iopromide; D000068877:Imatinib Mesylate; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases