Gastric syphilis mimicking gastric cancer: A case report

BACKGROUNDThe nonspecific clinical, radiological and pathological characteristics of gastric syphilis can establish it as an imitator of other gastric diseases. The absence of primary or secondary lubricating lesions should not prevent consideration of gastric syphilis. CASE SUMMARYA 63-year-old female patient presented to the hospital with dull pain in the middle and upper abdomen without apparent cause for one week, which was aggravated for two days. The patient had been sexually active with the same male partner for the past years, but her partner was promiscuous. Abdominal contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) and positron emission tomography/CT suggested gastric cancer. The gastroscopy revealed an antral gastric ulcer with gastric retention, and also suggested gastric cancer. But no cancer cells were found in the biopsies taken during the two gastroscopies. Treponema pallidum (T. pallidum) antibodies: ELISA positive, rapid plasma reagin titer 1:16. Hematoxylin and eosin (HE) stain showed macrophage infiltration in the lamina propria. Numerous spirochetes were observed by immunohistochemical staining using a monoclonal antibody against T. pallidum. The patient was finally diagnosed with gastric syphilis.CONCLUSIONOnly a few cases of gastric syphilis have been misdiagnosed as gastric cancer. Penicillin can relieve symptoms of gastric syphilis.     

Primary duodenal tuberculosis misdiagnosed as tumor by imaging examination: A case report

BACKGROUNDPrimary duodenal tuberculosis is very rare. Due to a lack of specificity for its presenting symptoms, it is easily misdiagnosed clinically. Review of the few case reports and literature on the topic will help to improve the overall understanding of this disease and aid in differential diagnosis to improve patient outcome.CASE SUMMARYA 71-year-old man with a 30-plus year history of bronchiectasis and bronchitis presented to the Gastroenterology Department of our hospital complaining of intermittent upper abdominal pain. Initial imaging examination revealed a duodenal space-occupying lesion; subsequent upper abdominal contrast-enhanced computed tomography indicated duodenal malignant tumor. Physical and laboratory examinations showed no obvious abnormalities. In order to confirm further the diagnosis, electronic endoscopy was performed and tissue biopsies were taken. Duodenal histopathology showed granuloma and necrosis. In-depth tuberculosis-related examination did not rule out tuberculosis, so we initiated treatment with anti-tuberculosis drugs. At 6 mo after the anti-tuberculosis drug course, there were no signs of new development of primary lesions by upper abdominal computed tomography, and no complications had manifested.CONCLUSIONThis case emphasizes the importance of differential diagnosis for gastrointestinal diseases. Duodenal tuberculosis requires a systematic examination and physician awareness.     

Traumatic neuroma of the bile duct: A case report

We report the case of a bile duct traumatic neuroma in a 76‐year‐old man who presented with obstructive jaundice one year after cholecystectomy. Despite the radiological examinations, the preoperative diagnosis was difficult. The patient underwent a biliary resection with choledoco‐duodenal anastomosis     

Traumatic giant cell tumor of rib: A case report

BACKGROUNDGiant cell tumor (GCT) of the anterior rib origin is extremely rare. We report the first case of trauma-induced GCT of the rib.CASE SUMMARYA 22-year-old female developed a mass over the right anterior chest wall with pain 3 mo after a falling injury with blunt trauma of the right chest wall. Chest computed tomography (CT) showed a tumor originating from the right 6th rib with bony destruction, and a CT-guided needle biopsy revealed a GCT. We completely resected the tumor with chest wall and performed reconstruction. The pathological diagnosis was GCT of the bone. Twelve months after surgery, no signs of recurrence were observed. CONCLUSIONGCT of the rib after trauma has not been reported. Meticulous history-taking and image evaluation are essential for the differential diagnosis of unusual chest wall tumors.     

Management of the late effects of disconnected pancreatic duct syndrome: A case report

BACKGROUND There have been few reports about the late effects of disconnected pancreatic duct syndrome(DPDS). Although few reports have described the recurrence interval of pancreatitis, it might be rare for recurrence to occur more than 5 years later.Herein, we describe a case of recurrence in an 81-year-old man after the treatment of walled-off necrosis(WON) with pancreatic transection 7 years ago.CASE SUMMARY An 81-year-old man visited our hospital with chief complaints of fever and abdominal pain 7 years after the onset of WON due to severe necrotic pancreatitis. His medical history included an abdominal aortic aneurysm(AAA),hypertension, dyslipidemia, and chronic kidney disease. Computed tomography(CT) scan showed that the pancreatic fluid collection(PFC) had spread to the aorta with inflammation surrounding it, and CT findings suggested that bleeding occurred from the vasodilation due to splenic vein occlusion. First, we attempted to perform transpapillary drainage because of venous dilation around the residual stomach and the PFC. However, pancreatic duct drainage failed because of complete main pancreatic duct disruption. Second, we performed endoscopic ultrasound-guided drainage. After transmural drainage, the inflammation improved and stenting for the AAA was performed successfully. The inflammation was resolved, and he has been free from infection for more than 2 years after the procedure.CONCLUSION This case highlights the importance of continued follow-up of patients for recurrence after the treatment of WON with pancreatic transection.     

Pancreas-preserving duodenectomy for treatment of a duodenal papillary tumor: A case report

BACKGROUNDDuodenal papillary tumor is a rare tumor of the digestive tract, accounting for about 0.2% of gastrointestinal tumors and 7% of periampullary tumors. The clinical manifestations of biliary obstruction are most common. Some benign tumors or small malignant tumors are often not easily found because they have no obvious symptoms in the early stage. Surgical resection is the only treatment for duodenal papillary tumors. At present, the methods of operation for duodenal papillary tumors include pancreatoduodenectomy, duodenectomy, ampullectomy, and endoscopic resection.CASE SUMMARYA 47-year-old man was admitted to because of a duodenal mass that had been discovered 2 mo previously. Electronic gastroscopy at another hospital revealed a duodenal papillary mass that had been considered to be a high-grade intraepithelial neoplasia. Therefore, we conducted a multidisciplinary group discussion and decided to perform a pancreas-preserving duodenectomy and a R0 resection was successfully performed. After surgery, the patient underwent a follow-up period of 5 yr. No recurrence or metastasis occurred. CONCLUSIONAccording to our experience with a duodenal papillary tumor, compared with pancreaticoduodenectomy, the use of pancreas-preserving duodenectomy can preserve pancreatic function, maintain gastrointestinal structure and function, reduce tissue damage and complications, and render the postoperative recovery faster. Pancreas-preserving duodenectomy for treatment of a duodenal papillary tumor is feasible under strict control of surgical indications.     

Diagnosis of follicular lymphoma by laparoscopy: A case report

BACKGROUND Over the past years, only few cases of follicular lymphoma diagnosed by laparoscopy have been reported in the world. Since follicular lymphoma related ascites often causes occult disease and lacks specific clinical manifestations, it is often difficult to identify the cause by routine laboratory tests and imaging methods. Diagnostic experience is not sufficient and more cases need to be accumulated for further analysis.CASE SUMMARY Ascites due to unknown reasons often causes problems for clinical diagnosis and treatment. In this paper, we report one case with ascites in whom the reason causing ascites was not identified through routine examination. Laparoscopic examination of the celiac lesions and histological examination of the lesions were performed and the final diagnosis was peritoneal follicular lymphoma.CONCLUSION Laparoscopic abdominal examination is of great significance for the definite diagnosis of ascites due to an unknown reason.     

Combined laparoscopic-endoscopic approach for gastric glomus tumor: A case report

BACKGROUNDGastric glomus tumor (GGT) is rare submucosal mesenchymal tumor that lacks specific clinical manifestations and is usually treated mainly by traditional surgical resection. This paper presents a case of a GGT, exhibited both intraluminally and extraluminally growth that was removed by laparoscopy-gastroscopy cooperative surgery.CASE SUMMARYA 52-year-old male presented with epigastric discomfort accompanied by a sense of fullness for 3 mo. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy identified a submucosal lump located in the gastric antrum. Endoscopic ultrasonography identified a 2.4 cm × 1.8 cm lump located in the gastric antrum. It originated from the muscularis propria and exhibited both intraluminally and extraluminally growth, with hypoechoicity on the periphery, hyperechoicity in the middle, and unclear boundaries. Computed tomography showed nodular thickening of 3.0 cm × 2.2 cm in the gastric wall of the gastric antrum, and after enhancement, the lesion exhibited obvious enhancement We suspected that it was a gastrointestinal stromal tumor (glomus tumor and schwannoma were not excluded) and planned to perform laparoscopy-gastroscopy cooperative surgery. Immunohistochemical staining after the operation revealed that spinal muscular atrophy (+), h-caldesmon (+), cluster of differentiation 34 (CD34) (+), 2% Ki-67-positive rate, CD56, melanoma antigen, CD117, discovered on GIST-1, leukocyte common antigen, caudal type homeobox 2, cytokeratin, and S-100 were all negative. The tumor was finally diagnosed as a GGT.CONCLUSIONGGTs are rare submucosal tumors of the stomach and should be considered in the differential diagnosis of gastric submucosal tumors. Laparoscopy-gastroscopy cooperative surgery is less invasive and more precise and could be an effective method for the treatment of GGTs.     

Traumatic neuroma of the bile duct

We present the CT and MRI findings of a traumatic neuroma of the bile duct, which is not a true neoplasm, but a reactive proliferation of pericholangial nerve tissue induced by cholecystectomy. Previous authors have shown a dilatation of the bile duct without a nodule. In our case, a nodule was present, and it was markedly enhanced.     

Delayed-release oral mesalamine tablet mimicking a small jejunal gastrointestinal stromal tumor: A case report

BACKGROUNDEnteric-coated medications are supposed to pass intact through the gastric environment and to release the drug content into the small intestine or the colon. Before dissolution of the enteric coating, they may appear hyperdense on computed tomography (CT). Unfortunately, few reports have been published on this topic so far. In this case report, the hyperdense appearance on contrast-enhanced CT of an enteric-coated mesalamine tablet was initially misinterpreted as a jejunal gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST).CASE SUMMARYAn asymptomatic 81-year-old male patient, who had undergone laparoscopic right nephrectomy four years earlier for stage 1 renal carcinoma, was diagnosed with a jejunal GIST at the 4-year follow-up thoraco-abdominal CT scan. He was referred to our hub hospital for gastroenterological evaluation, and subsequently underwent 18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography, abdominal magnetic resonance imaging, and video capsule endoscopy. None of these examinations detected any lesion of the small intestine. After reviewing all the CT images in a multidisciplinary setting, the panel estimated that the hyperdense jejunal image was consistent with a tablet rather than a GIST. The tablet was an 800 mg delayed-release enteric-coated oral mesalamine tablet (Asacol^®), which had been prescribed for non-specific colitis, while not informing the hospital physicians.CONCLUSIONDelayed-release oral mesalamine (Asacol^®), like other enteric-coated medications, can appear as a hyperdense image on a CT scan, mimicking a small intestinal GIST. Therefore, a detailed knowledge of the patients’ medications and a multidisciplinary review of the images are essential.     

Schwannoma mimicking pancreatic carcinoma: A case report

BACKGROUNDSchwannoma of the pancreas is extremely rare. We report a case of pancreatic schwannoma that was difficult to distinguish from pancreatic carcinoma before surgery.CASE SUMMARYA 66-year-old male underwent a right-lobe hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma. Post-surgical computed tomography showed a 10 mm long solid mass with ischemia, with no expansion into the main pancreatic duct. Upon magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography, the tumor had high signal intensity in diffusion weighted images, consistent with pancreatic carcinoma. Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) was performed to obtain more information about the tumor, and showed a 14 mm solid and hypoechoic mass in the pancreatic body. Contrast enhanced EUS revealed that the tumor showed a hyperechoic mass in the early phase, and the contrasting effect continuation was very short; findings also consistent with pancreatic carcinoma. Thus, we preoperatively diagnosed his condition as a pancreatic carcinoma and performed distal pancreatectomy with splenectomy. Microscopic examination showed that the tumor was in fact a benign schwannoma. Histology showed a proliferation of spindle-shaped cell in a vague fascicular and haphazard pattern, with palisading arrangement.CONCLUSIONSchwannoma of the pancreas is very rare, however, clinicians should consider schwannoma as the differential diagnosis for pancreatic tumors.     

Sarcomatoid intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma mimicking liver abscess: A case report

Sarcomatoid intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma(SICC)is an extremely rare and highly invasive malignant tumor of the liver.To our knowledge,the imaging findings of sarcomatous cholangiocarcinoma have been rarely reported;and radiological features of this tumor mimicking liver abscess have not yet been reported.CASE SUMMARY We present a case of SICC mimicking liver abscess.The patient,a 43-year-old male,complained of repeated upper right abdominal discomfort and intermittent distension over a period of one month.Radiology examination revealed a huge focal lesion in the right liver.The lesion was hypointense on computed tomography with honeycomb enhancement surrounded by enhanced peripheral areas.It showed a hypo-signal on non-contrast T1-weighted images and a hypersignal on non-contrast T2-weighted images.Radiologists diagnosed the lesion as an atypical liver abscess.The patient underwent a hepatectomy.After surgery,he survived another 2.5 mo before passing away.A search of PubMed and Google revealed 43 non-repeated cases of SICC reported in 20 published studies.The following is a short review in order to improve the diagnostic and therapeutic skills in cases of SICC.CONCLUSION This report presents the clinical and radiological features of SICC and imaging features which showed hypovascularity and progressive enhancement.SICC can present as a multilocular cyst on radiological images and it is necessary to distinguish this lesion from an atypical abscess.Simple surgical treatment is not the best treatment option for this disease.     

Pancreatic panniculitis and solid pseudopapillary tumor of the pancreas: A case report

Solid pseudopapillary tumor of the pancreas (SPTP), also known as solid and papillary epithelial neoplasm of the pancreas, is a rare pancreatic exocrine tumor that is difficult to diagnose before surgery. Pancreatic panniculitis is a rare type that occurs in less than 3% of all patients with pancreatic diseases. We here report a 19-year-old woman who presented with persistent left upper quadrant pain without obvious cause for 1 d. The patient also developed subcutaneous nodules involving lower abdomen bilaterally and lower limbs, and subcutaneous nodules were pathologically diagnosed as pancreatic panniculitis. Plain abdominal computed tomography revealed a soft-tissue mass in the body and tail of the pancreas, which was closely associated with the gastric wall. Contrast-enhanced ultrasound showed inhomogeneous echogenicity in the anterior pancreatic body, which had blurred parenchymal demarcation of the body and tail of the pancreas. Contrast-enhanced abdominal computed tomography revealed a mixed density mass with solid and cystic components in the body and tail of the pancreas, and the solid component was markedly enhanced. The lesion was pathologically diagnosed as SPTP after laparoscopic resection. Clinicians should be aware of the clinical manifestation, diagnosis, and treatment of pancreatic panniculitis and SPTP.