Improvements in small bowel carcinoid diagnosis and staging: 18F-DOPA PET, capsule endoscopy and double balloon enteroscopy

Carcinoid tumours are rare, slow growing tumours, originating from cells of the neuroendocrine system. Staging of the disease is of paramount importance to determine the optimal treatment strategy but is notoriously difficult. A case of a 45-year-old male who presented with abdominal pain and flushes is presented. An abdominal computerised tomography-scan was performed which showed a solitary liver lesion, consisting of neuroendocrine tumour cells. Further staging with 18F-DOPA PET, capsule endoscopy and double balloon enteroscopy revealed the localisation of the primary tumours in the small bowel, and the patient subsequently underwent surgery. The recent introduction of 18F-DOPA PET, capsule endoscopy and double balloon enteroscopy in the diagnosis and staging of carcinoid tumours has made significant contributions to the management of this disease.