The localization of carcinoids in the gastrointestinal tract is frequently
difficult if not impossible with the imaging procedures used to date. It is
reported on a patient with metastasizing carcinoid in whom various imaging
procedures were not successful in detecting the primary tumor. Due to the
importance of primary tumor proof for potential curative surgical therapy,
a whole-body positron emission tomography with F-18-DOPA was performed. PET
enabled localization of a potential primary tumor in the ileum. Moreover,
in addition to the known abdominal lymph node and liver metastases, it dete
cted a mediastinal lymph node metastasis and a pulmonary metastasis. F-18-D
OPA whole-body PET may be a very promising imaging approach to the localiza
tion and staging of gastrointestinal carcinoids.