Mesenteric Fibromatosis Mimicking Metastasis of Neuroendocrine Tumor on 18 F-AlF-NOTA-Octreotide PET/CT and Contrast- Enhanced MRI : A Case Report.
Jiapeng Zhuang, Guangchong Zhao, Yiyin Lu et al.
✦ AI-curated · Sources linked
Case in brief
A 52-year-old man with a history of resected G2 pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor presented with a new abdominal mass during follow-up. Imaging studies, including contrast-enhanced MRI, suggested metastatic disease, while ¹⁸F-AlF-NOTA-Octreotide PET/CT showed mild tracer accumulation. However, surgical pathology confirmed the diagnosis of mesenteric fibromatosis, highlighting the need for careful interpretation of imaging findings.
What made this case unusual
The case illustrates how benign mesenteric fibromatosis can mimic metastatic disease in both anatomical imaging and SSTR-targeted PET imaging, leading to potential misdiagnosis.
Diagnostic / clinical pearl
Clinicians should be aware that mesenteric fibromatosis can present similarly to metastatic neuroendocrine tumors on imaging, necessitating careful evaluation to avoid misdiagnosis.
Why it matters
This case underscores the importance of distinguishing between benign and malignant lesions in patients with a history of neuroendocrine tumors, as misinterpretation can lead to unnecessary interventions.