Isolated Small Bowel Metastasis From Gastric Cancer Detected by 18F-FDG PET/CT

Abstract Small bowel metastasis is rare. Most patients are diagnosed after presenting serious complications. The primary tumors generally arise from breast, lung, and melanoma, but rarely from the stomach. Here we present a case of a gastric cancer patient with asymptomatic small bowel metastasis diagnosed at staging using 18 F-FDG PET/CT. The bowel lesion could not be found on the full-dose CT component of PET/CT. Previous staging contrast CT also made a missed diagnosis. This case reminds us that PET/CT can be used to detect unsuspected metastasis. It may be suitable for routine initial staging, especially on a patient with poor prognosis.