Clinical Presentation

A 60-year-old man presents with nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and fever.

Coronal reformatted computed tomography (CT) shows soft-tissue thickening in the small-bowel mesentery from the superior mesenteric root to the small bowel. Central calcifications (arrowhead) and mass effect on small bowel (arrow) are noted.

Differential Diagnosis

• Retractile mesenteritis: This is strongly suggested by soft-tissue thickening centered at the superior mesenteric root, with central calcifications (typically denser than in carcinoid) extending outward to produce mass effect on the small bowel.

• Carcinoid: