Abstract: Objective To study the application value of ultrasound and contrast-enhanced ultrasound in differential diagnosis of hepatic neuroendocrine tumors (HNET).Methods 128 patients with liver diseases were as the research objectors, 89 cases of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) were in the control group, 39 cases of HNET were in the observation group among them.Meanwhile, the image characteristics of conventional ultrasound and contrast-enhanced ultrasound were recorded, and the contrast-enhanced time was compared between the two groups.The imaging characteristics of MHNET and PHNET ultrasound and contrast-enhanced ultrasound were recorded, and the contrast-enhanced time of two groups of patients were compared.Results The ultrasonography showed that there were 12 cases of single focus in the observation group were lower than 68 cases in the control group, there were 19 cases of hyperechoic imaging, 8 cases of hypoechoic imaging, 28 cases of homogeneous imaging, the proportion were higher thanthose of the control group, the difference were statistically significant (P<0.05).The contrast-enhanced ultrasound showed that the capsule of the observation group was enhanced in 4 cases, the proportion was lower than that of the control group, the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05).The time of regression to isoenhancement and the time of hypoenhancement in the observation group were (31.64±6.38) s and (64.82±16.85) s respectively, which were significantly shorter than those of the control group (P<0.05).The maximum diameter of MHNET lesions were (4.47±1.89) cm, which were significantly lower than that of PHNET (P<0.05).Conclusion The ultrasound and contrast-enhanced ultrasound are helpful for screening of HNET, and it can provide basis for differential diagnosis between MHNET and PHNET.

Key words: Color doppler ultrasound, Hepatic neuroendocrine tumors, Hepatocellular carcinoma, Differential diagnosis