Chinese Hepatolgy ›› 2020, Vol. 25 ›› Issue (5): 498-500.

• Other Liver diseases • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Comparison of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography between primary and metastatic neuroendocrine tumors of the liver

WANG Wen-qing   

  1. Department of Ultrasonography, Heze Hospital of traditional Chinese Medicine,Heze, Shandong 274000
  • Received:2019-12-08 Published:2020-06-08

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Abstract: Objective The contrast-enhanced ultrasonographic findings of primary hepatic neuroendocrine neoplasm (PHNEN) and metastatic neuroendocrine neoplasm (MHNEN) were compared.Methods A retrospective analysis was made of 26 patients with hepatic neuroendocrine neoplasm treated in our hospital from January 2008 to July 2019, including 26 patients with contrast-enhanced ultrasonography. There were 22 patients with MHNEN, 12 males and 10 females, aged (50.6±9.4) years, and 4 patients with PHNEN, including 2 males and 2 females, aged (53.1±14.2) years. The measurement data are expressed as (±s), compared by t-test, the counting data are expressed as percentages, and compared by chi-square test. Results The primary sites of tumors in 22 patients with MHNEN included pancreas (n=9), stomach (n=4), gallbladder (n=4), small intestine (n=2), colon and rectum (n=2) and lung (n=1). A total of 28 lesions were found with a diameter of 1.5×12.8 cm. The average value was (4. 2±3. 6) cm. 16 lesions showed high or slightly high echo, 12 lesions showed slightly low or low echo, 11 lesions had clear boundary, 14 lesions had unclear boundary, 3 lesions had unclear boundary, and 15 lesions had blood flow signal. A total of 7 lesions were found in 4 patients with PHNEN, with a diameter of 1.8 to 17.4 cm, with an average of (7.2±5.5) cm. 5 lesions showed high or slightly high echo, 2 lesions showed slightly low or low echo, 4 lesions had clear boundary, 2 lesions had unclear boundary, 1 lesion had unclear boundary, and 2 lesions had blood flow signal. There was significant difference in lesion diameter between MHNEN and PHNEN patients (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the beginning enhancement time, the beginning regression time, the enhancement duration, the enhancement speed, the regression speed, the enhancement form and the enhancement shape between MHNEN and PHNEN patients (P>0.05).Conclusion MHNEN and PHNEN are characteristic in ultrasonography and contrast-enhanced ultrasonography, mainly in the mode of overall enhancement and 'fast forward and fast retrogression'. They are of clinical value in the diagnosis of neuroendocrine neoplasm, but it is necessary to further compare the differences of ultrasonographic findings between MHNEN and PHNEN in the future.

Key words: Liver neoplasms, Neuroendocrine neoplasm, Contrast-enhanced ultrasonographic