Appendiceal Carcinoid Mimicking a Meckel's Diverticulum on Tc-99m Pertechnetate Imaging

Abstract

A 47-year-old man with chronic abdominal pain presented with bloody diarrhea, fatigue, nausea, and vomiting. A Tc-99m pertechnetate scan revealed focal increased radiotracer uptake in the midabdomen. Although not in the typical location, Meckel's diverticulum was the leading diagnosis. The patient underwent laparoscopic exploration which was negative for Meckel's diverticulum. The appendix was slightly prominent and, therefore, was removed. An unsuspected appendiceal carcinoid tumor was found at pathology–one of a handful of published cases of carcinoid tumor discovered by a false-positive Meckel's scan and the only reported case of appendiceal carcinoid mimicking Meckel's diverticulum on nuclear scintigraphy.