Gastrointestinal stromal tumor: case report

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors represent extremely rare tumors of the gastrointestinal system, especially when localized on the small intestine. We report a case of a female patient, with recurrent gastrointestinal bleeding and severe anemia, caused by gastrointestinal stromal tumor of the small intestine. After negative endoscopic findings, she underwent radiological examination of the small intestine. Primary diagnostic radiological evaluation included: small intestine passage enteroclysis, computed tomography of the abdominal cavity and selective angiographic study of the three major aortic branches that supply the gastrointestinal tract in the abdomen (celiac axis, superior mesenteric artery and inferior mesenteric artery). Secondly, ultrasound of abdominal cavity was performed. Findings of small intestine passage and enteroclysis were negative. The tumor was visualized by computed tomography and ultrasound, but without distinctive anatomical localization in the abdominal cavity. The diagnostic dilemma has been resolved by using selective angiographic examination of celiac axis and superior mesenteric artery and thus a tumor formation was visualized in the mesenterium of the small intestine. Radiological findings were confirmed by surgery. Histopathological findings were positive for gastrointestinal stromal tumor. Gastrointestinal stromal tumors of the small intestine rarely cause recurrent bleeding, but they should be included in differential diagnosis.