Imaging of gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors

Figure 4 Axial computed tomography images of a patient with histologically proven metastatic neuroendocrine carcinoma. A: Axial contrast enhanced computed tomography (CT) image of the rectum (R) showing focal eccentric thickening of the left posterolateral wall (arrow) with associated enlarged perirectal lymph node (arrowhead). Biopsy confirmed neuroendocrine carcinoma. Note the iodinated contrast in the urinary bladder (UB) indicating the delayed phase of imaging; B: Axial CT image of the same patient in the delayed phase showing multiple hypodense masses (arrows) and nodules (arrowhead) in the liver. These are consistent with metastatic disease. Note that the metastatic disease burden is considerable larger than the primary tumor itself, a not uncommon finding in neuroendocrine tumor.