Only 3‑5% of gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are located in the duodenum. They are associated with an increased risk of fatal gastrointestinal bleeding, which is a primary manifestation. A small GIST (less than 2 cm in size) is easily confused with a duodenal papilla. In the 2 cases presented in this study, endoscopic examination alone resulted in a misdiagnoses of hemobilia. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case report of this type in the literature. Patient 1 is a 66‑year‑old male who was admitted to The Second Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University with syncope. Emergent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy identified bleeding from what appeared to be a duodenal papilla, and the patient was diagnosed with hemobilia. However, the angiography did not support this result. To save the patient's life, an exploratory laparotomy was conducted. We identified a small tumor in the descending part of the duodenum and a wedge resection was successfully conducted. The final diagnosis was duodenal GIST with no further risk to the patient. Patient 2 is a 71‑year‑old female who was admitted to the hospital diagnosed with hemobilia. The patient underwent a barium swallow examination and a contrast‑enhanced computed tomography (CT) scan, in which a tumor on the descending part of the duodenum was identified. Patient 2 also underwent a wedge resection. The final diagnosis was duodenal GIST with no further risk to the patient. Gastroscopy may be a useful procedure for duodenal GIST diagnosis; however, the endoscopic findings may be confused with hemobilia when the tumor diameter is less than 2 cm in size and heavily accompanied with blood clots. A barium swallow examination and contrast‑enhanced CT may prevent a misdiagnosis of hemobilia.

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