Minute liver metastases from a rectal carcinoid: A case report and review

Figure 1 Preoperative colonoscopy and image examinations. A: Colonoscopy showed an elevated yellowish lesion with a slight central depression of which size was 30 mm in diameter, in the lower rectum; B: A tumor was present on the right wall of the lower rectum by computed tomography (CT) scan; C: Abdominal CT failed to show any obvious abnormalities in the liver; D: No obvious lesions were detected in the liver by ultrasonography.

Figure 2 Histopathology of liver metastasis and primary tumor. A: Histopathology of a hepatic nodule (Magnification: × 20). A section was stained by hematoxiline & eosin (H&E) solution; B: Magnified image of (A) (Magnification: × 100): The tumor cells were homogeneous and spherical, forming ribbon-like structures, which was compatible with the carcinoid tumor; C: Resected rectal tumor. A loupe image; D: Histopathology of the rectal tumor (Magnification: × 100): Identical histopathological features to that of liver metastasis were confirmed.