Duodenal carcinoids: imaging features with clinical-pathologic comparison.
OBJECTIVE
To retrospectively evaluate the imaging features of duodenal carcinoids with clinical-pathologic comparison.


METHODS
The institutional review board approved this study; informed consent was not required. The study was HIPAA compliant. The authors retrospectively reviewed the barium studies (n = 20), computed tomographic (CT) scans (n = 16), magnetic resonance (MR) images (n = 2), pathology reports (n = 33), gross pathology photographs (n = 15), and clinical data (n = 33) from 33 patients (16 men and 17 women; age range, 19-90 years; mean age, 52.6 years) with a confirmed diagnosis of duodenal carcinoid admitted into our institution during a 52-year period. The imaging studies were evaluated by consensus of two abdominal radiologists for the number of masses and their location and morphologic characteristics (polypoid or mural). The CT and MR images were also assessed for contrast enhancement characteristics.


RESULTS
Most carcinoids were located in the proximal duodenum (10 in the bulb, 19 in the second portion, two in the third portion, and two in the fourth portion). Seventeen patients (52%) had focal intraluminal polypoid masses and 13 (39%) had mural masses; in three patients (9%), the tumor was not visualized at CT. Five of the 33 patients (15%) had multiple carcinoids. CT showed heterogeneous contrast enhancement in all patients who received intravenous contrast material in the arterial or portal venous phases of enhancement. Nonenhancing masses were present in patients who underwent CT during the equilibrium phase. Two patients had Zollinger-Ellison syndrome. Five patients (15%) had neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF-1); four of the five patients (80%) were women, and four patients were African American. In all five patients with NF-1, the carcinoids were located in the periampullary region.


CONCLUSIONS
Duodenal carcinoids are uncommon tumors with a wide clinical-pathologic spectrum. They occur most commonly in the proximal duodenum and manifest as an intraluminal polyp or a mural mass.
Levy
Angela D
AD
Department of Radiologic Pathology, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, 6825 16th St NW, Washington, DC 20306-6000, USA. levya@afip.osd.mil
Taylor
Leland D
LD
Abbott
Robert M
RM
Sobin
Leslie H
LH
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001466:Barium Sulfate; D002276:Carcinoid Tumor / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D003287:Contrast Media; D004379:Duodenal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
D003287:Contrast Media; D001466:Barium Sulfate