99mTc-RBC Scintigraphy for diagnosis of intestinal stromal tumor hemorrhage: a case report

Background: Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are rare and our understanding of the natural history and optimal treatment of GISTs are continually evolving. They are characterized by a remarkable cellular variability and their malignant potential is sometimes difficult to predict. Case presentation: We report the case of intestinal stromal tumor in a 44 years old patient with a long history of anemia and recurrent hemafecia. By using 99mTc-labeled red blood cell (99mTc-RBC) scintigraphy, extensive tracer accumulation in the jejunum was detected. Immunohistochemically, the tumor strongly expresses the KIT (CD117) protein. The intestinal tumor was successfully resected with a postoperative favorable outcome. Conclusion: 99mTc-RBC scintigraphy is an established technique for the identification and localization of gastrointestinal bleeding. Abdominal scintigraphy appears to be a valuable supplement to conventional diagnostic methods for the diagnosis of gastrointestinal stromal tumor hemorrhage.