فهرست نشریات علمی دسترسی آزاد ایران

Background: Neuroendocrine carcinomas (NECs) of the stomach are poorly differentiated, high-grade endocrine tumors, including small cell and large cell carcinomas. They are deeply invasive and metastatic, with a poor prognosis. The purpose of this study is to describe the computed tomography (CT) findings of gastric NECs with pathologic features. Results: Among the three CT morphologic types of gastric NEC (polypoid, ulcerofungating, and ulceroinfiltrative), 63% of those in our study were ulcerofungating (n = 20), 37% were ulceroinfiltrative, and none were polypoid. All were larger than 5 cm in the greatest diameter (mean size: 7.8 cm). The characteristic features at presentation were focal (n = 3) or diffuse (n = 15) low attenuation within the mass, extensive low attenuation lymphadenopathy (n = 13), and liver metastasis (n = 6). There were no significant differences between the small cell (n = 10) and the large cell NEC groups (n = 22). Conclusion: Although differential diagnosis between gastric adenocarcinoma and gastric NEC is difficult, gastric NEC should be considered when CT shows a large ulcerofungating tumor with low attenuation areas (pathologically mucinous or necrotic), especially combined with extensive necrotic lymphadenopathy and frequent hepatic metastases.