Purpose To evaluate the value of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography(CEUS) in predicting cervical lymph node metastasis of papillary thyroid carcinoma. Methods The CEUS data of seventy-one PTC nodules of sixty-four patients was analyzed retrospectively. The PTC nodules were divided into cervical lymph node metastasis group and non-cervical lymph node metastasis group on the basis of pathological findings. Time-intensity curve(TIC) of the peripheral and central area of each nodules was drawn using QLAB software.After that, CEUS quantitative parameters were obtained as follows: the rise time(RT),the peak intensity(PI),the mean transit time(MTT),the area under the curve (AUC),the time from peak to one half (TPH), the wash in slope(WIS) and the time to peak(TTP). The CEUS perfusion intensity characteristics and quantitative parameters of PTC nodules in the two groups were compared and analyzed, as well as the receiver operating curve(ROC) of the quantitative parameters were drawn. Results There was no significant difference between the metastasis group and non-metastasis group in the perfusion intensity features of the seventy-one PTC nodules(P＞0.05).The PI and AUC in the peripheral area of the metastasis group were (8.39±2.19)dB and (220.69±83.56)dB s respectively, Accordingly, which were (6.52±2.32)dB and (168.29±52.95)dB s, respectively in the non-metastasis group. The PI and AUC in the peripheral area of the metastasis group were significantly higher than those in the non-metastasis group(P＜0.01).However,the RT.MTT.TPH.WIS.TTP in both peripheral and central areas were not significantly different between the two groups(P＞0.05). Furthermore, there was no significant difference of the PI and AUC in the central areas between the two groups(P＞0.05). The AUC value of PI and AUC in the peripheral area in predicting lymph node metastasis was 0.733 and 0.708, respectively. PI showed a 67.6% sensitivity and 82.4%% specificity with the cutoff value of 8.04 dB, and those were 64.9% and 79.4 for AUC with a cutoff value of 202.99 dB s. Conclusions The PI and AUC in the peripheral area of PTC nodule were significantly higher in the lymph node metastasis group than those in the non-metastasis group. Therefore, they may have considerable clinical value in the prediction of cervical lymph node metastasis of PTC.