Rare gastric glomus tumor causing upper gastrointestinal bleeding, with review of the endoscopic ultrasound features.

doscopic examination because of an episode of tarry stool. Her medical history was significant for chronic renal failure, for which she was receiving peritoneal dialysis. Upper endoscopy disclosed an ulcerative tumor in the gastric antrum (●" Fig. 1). The first biopsy from the ulcer displayed chronic inflammation. An abdominal computed tomography (CT) scan disclosed an hyperintense, homogeneously enhancing tumor (●" Fig. 2). Abdominal ultrasound showed a hypervascular tumor (●" Fig. 3) and endoscopic ultrasound disclosed a 3-cm, well-defined, hyperechoic tumor with a calcified spot (●" Fig. 4). As the first endoscopic biopsy specimen examination was inconclusive, we carried out another biopsy and a definitive diagnosis of glomus tumor was made. The patient was referred to the surgical department for further treatment. Glomus tumors commonly occur in the skin and subcutaneous tissue, and originate from modified smooth muscle cells which behave like perivascular glomus bodies [1]. The gastric antrum is the most commonly involved area of the gastrointestinal tract. About 45% of the tumors present as ulcerative submucosal tumors [1]. Abdominal CT of these tumors usually shows strong enhancement in the arterial and delayed phase [2]. The endoscopic ultrasound features of the tumor have been described in few reports (●" Table 1). Most of the tumors originate in the fourth echo layer with either hypoor hyperechogenicity. In the four of the seven cases reported to have internal hyperechoic spots, these spots corresponded to the calcifications found on histological examination Rare gastric glomus tumor causing upper gastrointestinal bleeding, with review of the endoscopic ultrasound features