Lymphoma and Stromal Tumor of the Small Intestine: Ultrasound Findings and Differential Diagnosis

  Objective  To investigate the value of ultrasonography in the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of lymphoma and stromal tumor of the small intestine.

  Methods  The clinical characteristics and ultrasound findings of 36 patients with small intestine lymphoma and 69 patients with small intestine stromal tumor confirmed pathologically in Cancer Hospital of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences between January 2009 and January 2016 were retrospectively analyzed and compared.

  Results  There were statistically significant differences in echotexture, presence of echoless area, intratumoral gas, and ultrasonographic pattern between small intestine lymphoma and small intestine stromal tumor (all P < 0.001), whereas no statistically significant difference in clinical characteristics, lesion size, contour, or lobulated mass. On ultrasound, small intestine lymphoma mainlydemonstrated as infiltrative or mass-forming type, with homogeneous echotexture without cystic necrotic area; while small intestine stromal tumor demonstrated as mass-forming type with heterogeneous echotexture and cystic necrotic area.

  Conclusions  Lymphoma and stromal tumor of the small intestine both have some characteristic ultrasound features, the difference between which may help in the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of these two conditions.