Midgut Carcinoid Tumours

CT was performed on 80 patients referred for staging and treatment of histologically verified midgut carcinoid tumours. In 17 cases (21) CT was normal in spite of biochemical signs of tumour (increased U-5-HIAA). The most common finding was liver metastases in 5480 (68) of patients. Mesenteric metastases, usually as a soft tissue mass at the mesenteric root, were found in 1780 (21). Retroperitoneal adenopathy was found in 1980 (24). During a follow-up time of 3 months to 10 years (median 3 years) 445 additional CT examinations were performed on 77 patients. In 39 of these, progressive disease (new lesions) was found after a median time of 15 months (range 3 months-6.5 years). CT is poor in detecting primary carcinoid tumours but helpful in evaluating the extent of tumour spread before surgical exploration and during follow-up once the diagnosis has been established.