Diagnosis of one small bowel tumor: the role of conventional ultrasound and elastography.

Neuroendocrine tumors are the most common primary tumors of the small bowel, but diagnosis is usually delayed as the lesions are small and symptoms are mild or nonspecific. Diagnosis of this disease is currently based on radiologic or endoscopic findings. Ultrasound (US) is used as a first-line examination in patients with abdominal symptoms, as this technique permits an overall view of the gastrointestinal tract providing diagnosis of inflammatory and/or neoplastic disorders in a large proportion of patients. The aim of this case report is to describe the feasibility and diagnostic accuracy of elastography in the diagnosis of a tumor of the ileum. The patient underwent conventional gray-scale US and elastography before surgery and these examinations were repeated postoperatively on the surgical specimen confirming preoperative outcome.