Diagnosis

Tests and procedures used to diagnose carcinoid tumours include1:

  • Blood tests. If you have a carcinoid tumour, your blood may contain high levels of hormones secreted by a carcinoid tumour or byproducts created when those hormones are broken down by the body.
  • Urine tests. People with carcinoid tumours have excess levels of a chemical in their urine that’s produced when the body breaks down hormones secreted by carcinoid tumours.
  • Imaging tests. Imaging tests, including a computerized tomography (CT) scan, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET), X-ray, and nuclear medicine scans, may help your doctor pinpoint the carcinoid tumour’s location.
  • A scope or camera that sees inside your body. Your doctor may use a long, thin tube equipped with a lens or camera to examine areas inside your body.

1Mayo Clinic