Purpose: to evaluate the role of ultrasound in characterizing carcinoid tumor and its metastases in the abdomen.
Result: We had a case of carcinoid tumor of the duodenum with the clinical signs of carcinoid syndrome. 53yo male patient suffered from cutaneous flushing, abdominal cramps and episodic diarrhea for one month and a half. He had no appetite and lost 10 kilograms. Ultrasound detected liver and spleen metastases with hypoechoic well demarcative lesions without hypervascularisation. By mean endoscopy there were a small yellow tumor of the duodenum and others of the colon, having a characteristic umbilicated appearance. The histopathologic results were carcinoid of duodenum.
Discussions and Conclusions: Majority (95%) of patients with carcinoid syndrome will have liver metastasis. In our case with metastatic spread to the liver and spleen, vasoactive substances may be release directly into systemic circulation giving rise to carcinoid syndrome.