Computed tomography findings of small bowel gastrointestinal stromal tumors with different histologic risks of progression.

PURPOSE: The purpose of the study was to assess the dynamic contrast-enhanced computed tomography features of small bowel gastrointestinal stromal tumors with different risks of progression.

METHODS

Forty-two patients with SB GISTs underwent dynamic contrast-enhanced CT scan. All CT features of tumors with different risks were analyzed. The correlation of CT attenuation value in different enhancement phases with different risks was analyzed.

RESULTS

In 22 patients, the tumor was in the jejunum, 14 in the ileum, and six in the duodenum. The maximum diameter of the tumors ranged from 1.4 to 21.0 cm (median 8.2 cm). Histologic risk degree was defined according to pathologic findings (three cases were very low risk, 13 cases were low risk, two cases were intermediate risk, and 24 cases were high risk). For all the risk degrees, there were statistical differences in tumor size, heterogeneity, and presence of necrosis (p < 0.05). However, there were no statistical differences in tumor location, presence of calcification, or cystic degeneration (p > 0.05). The CT attenuation value of every risk degree was statistically different in venous phase and delayed phase (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Features on dynamic contrast-enhanced CT can correlate with SB GISTs of different risk categories which may be helpful for preoperative diagnosis and prognosis evaluation.