The yield of wireless capsule endoscopy in the detection of neuroendocrine tumors in comparison with CT enteroclysis.
BACKGROUND
Patients with neuroendocrine tumors (NET) of the small bowel often present with metastatic disease, and localization of the primary tumor still is a diagnostic challenge. Wireless capsule endoscopy (WCE) is an established method that improves the diagnostic evaluation of diseases of the small intestine.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to determine the diagnostic accuracy of WCE in imaging neuroendocrine tumors of the small bowel in these patients.


METHODS
We retrospectively compared the findings of capsule endoscopy to the findings of CT enteroclysis in patients with histopathological confirmation of NET.


METHODS
Eight patients with newly established diagnosis of metastatic NET were included.


METHODS
All patients underwent CT enteroclysis and wireless capsule endoscopy within a maximum of 2 weeks.


METHODS
Number of primary tumors detected. The results of surgery were used as a gold standard for both methods.


RESULTS
CT enteroclysis detected the primary tumor in 4 of 8 patients whereas WCE found the primary in 3 patients. On the contrary, CT enteroclysis provided more false-positive results.


CONCLUSIONS
Frequent extraluminal tumor growth.


CONCLUSIONS
In patients with NET, wireless capsule endoscopy may be helpful in individual cases but the general diagnostic value of this method may be limited due to frequent extraluminal growth of these tumors.
Medizinische Klinik IV, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Mitte, Schumannstrasse 20-22, 10117 Berlin, Germany.
Sarah
S
Johanssen
Mariam
M
Boivin
Herbert
H
Lochs
Winfried
W
Voderholzer
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D020776:Endoscopes, Gastrointestinal / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016099:Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007078:Ileal Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008904:Miniaturization / Q000295:instrumentation*; D018358:Neuroendocrine Tumors / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017216:Telemedicine / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*