April - June 2015, Volume 11, Issue 2

Tantau A, Laszlo M, Visovan I, Mandrutiu A, Tantau M, Negrean V

ParaPancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumor with Gastrin Hypersecretion and Zollinger Ellison Syndrome: a Diagnostic Challenge

Acta Endo (Buc) 2015, 11 (2): 246-250
doi: 10.4183/aeb.2015.246

Background. Primary lymph nodes gastrinomas are rare and difficult to diagnose not only because of their small size, but also because modern imaging techniques have limitations in detecting duodenal and/or adjacent lymph nodes gastrinomas. Endoscopic ultrasonography is particularly useful in the identification of gastrinomas and can provide cytopathological evaluation for a gold standard diagnosis. Aim. To report a rare case of periduodenal lymph node gastrinoma and to emphasise the value of endoscopic ultrasound evaluation in patients with Zollinger Ellison syndrome. Methods. Presentation of clinical case and comments. Results. The current study reports a rare case of a patient with a small size gastrinoma located extrapancreatically and extraduodenal in a periduodenal lymph node, which exhibited the Zollinger-Ellison syndrome. Gastroduodenoscopy evidenced moderate esophagitis and multiple, superficial gastroduodenal ulcers. Basal gastrin levels were elevated. Enhanced abdominal computer tomography showed a small tumor located near the pancreas head with a very fast and fine enhancement in an early arterial phase. Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fineneedle aspiration of the periduodenal lesion was performed. Histopathology and immunohistochemistry evaluation were positive for a low risk neuroendocrine tumor. A double dose of proton pump inhibitors was recommended resulting in an improvement of symptoms. No symptoms, endoscopic lesions or additional tumors at up to 9 months of follow-up were detected. Conclusions. We report a rare case of low risk lymph node gastrinoma, small in size at diagnosis with favorable results after a double dose of proton pump inhibitors was recommended. Using endoscopic ultrasound, an early and complete diagnosis was established.

Keywords: Neuroendocrine tumor, gastrinoma, Ki-67, Zollinger–Ellison syndrome, endoscopic ultrasound.

Correspondence: Alina Tantau, “Iuliu Ha?ieganu” Univeristy of Medicine and Pharmacy Cluj-Napoca, No. 18, Republicii Street, Cluj Napoca, 400015, Romania, E-mail: alitantau@gmail.com