Abstract: Objective To discuss the values of contrast-enhanced ultrasound in the diagnosis of primary small
hepatocellular carcinoma and regenerative nodule in cirrhosis. Methods Total of 23 cases with cirrhosis
regenerative nodules (32 lesions) who were diagnosed by surgery or liver biopsy and 25 cases of patients (30
lesions) who were diagnosed with primary small hepatocellular carcinoma from March 2014 to March 2015
in our hospital were selected as the study objects. All patients were given ultrasound imaging examination,
the changes of arterial phase, portal phase and parenchymal phase were observed and the characteristics
of the lesions were summed up. Results The number of internal nodules of primary small hepatocellular
carcinoma was less and most were single. The boundary between the lesion and normal tissue was clear, the
edge was more neat, except that some small parts of echo were not well-distributed, the rest were more well-
distributed, and the shape was round or quasi-round. The periphery of cirrhosis nodules represented the grid
increasing tendency, the echo was small and neat, the nodular lesions and normal tissue boundaries were
clear and were in the middle, and an echo similar to normal liver tissue and a small vascular structure were
found. The coincidence rate of the diagnosis of primary small hepatocellular carcinoma and liver cirrhosis
after regeneration of the nodules were significantly higher than those of the pre-imaging (χ² = 75.8621, P =
0.0000). The peak intensity of primary small hepatocellular carcinoma was significantly stronger than that

of liver cirrhosis nodules (t = 17.3855, P = 0.0000), and no significant difference was found in the arrival
time of the two contrast agents (t = 1.6645, P = 0.1028). The peak time of the contrast agent of the primary
small hepatocellular carcinoma was significantly shorter than that of the cirrhosis regenerated nodules (t =
2.5549, P = 0.0140). Conclusions Ultrasound contrast can improve the diagnostic accordance rate of small
hepatocellular carcinoma and cirrhosis regenerative nodules, it has important values in the identification and
diagnosis of the regenerative nodules of small liver cancer and liver cirrhosis and also can provide important
basis for early diagnosis and differential diagnosis.