The Value of Ultrasound and Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound in a Young Asymptomatic Patient With Duodenal Neuroendocrine Neoplasms: A Case Report

Abstract

Conventional ultrasound(US) plays an important role in check-up, while contrast-enhanced ultrasound(CEUS) is a valuable tool for distinguishing tumor characteristics and guiding subsequent diagnosis and treatment. We present a rare case of duodenal neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs) with liver metastasis in a young male, whose liver masses were detected by US during a check-up and then subsequently underwent Sonazoid-CEUS examination in the outpatient department. The lesions in the liver showed rapid hyper-enhancement in the arterial phase followed by early washout in the portal venous phase, finally showing a defect in the Kupffer phase, which strongly suggested metastases. The patient was promptly admitted for further examination, leading to a timely diagnosis of duodenal NENs with liver metastasis. This case highlights the importance of US and CEUS in asymptomatic liver masses in young patients.