Elastic modulus measurements of human liver and correlation with pathology

Yeh, Wen-Chun; Li, Pai-Chi; Jeng, Yung-Ming; Hsu, Hey-Chi; Kuo, Po-Ling; Li, Meng-Lin; Yang, Pei-Ming; Lee, Po Huang

Affiliations

¹Department of Electrical Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan

²Department of Pathology, Medicine and Rehabilitation, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei

³Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Medicine and Rehabilitation, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei

⁴Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan

⁵Department of Surgery, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan

Abstract and keywords

Viral hepatitis causes fibrosis in the liver and may change mechanical properties of the liver. To evaluate the impact of fibrosis on elastic properties of human liver and to investigate potential benefits of ultrasonic elasticity imaging, 19 fresh human liver samples and 1 hepatic tumor (focal nodular hyperplasia) sample obtained during operations were studied. Simple 1-D estimates based on the cyclic compression-relaxation method were performed. Elastic modulus values were derived from the predetermined strain (controlled by a step motor system) and the stress values (measured by an electronic balance). Each specimen subsequently received histologic examination and a grade of liver fibrosis was scored from 0 to 5. Results show that the elastic modulus values were on the order of several hundreds to thousands of Pascals. The elastic modulus generally increased with the fibrosis grade, although some discrepancies existed at the middle grades of fibrosis (scores 1 to 3). The correlation between the fibrosis score and the elastic modulus was significant (p < 0.01) based on the statistical analysis using the Pearson correlation method. In addition, the relation between the elastic modulus and the fibrosis grade generally exhibited a quadratic trend. It was concluded that severity of fibrosis had a good correlation with stiffness of the liver. Results also indicated that the elasticity imaging of the liver may provide significant clinical values if the elastic modulus can be accurately measured.

Keywords: Elasticity; Elastic modulus; Liver elastic properties; Liver pathology; Fibrosis

Links

DOI: 10.1016/S0301-5629(02)00489-1

PubMed: 12049960

WoS: 000176093400010

History

Received: 2001-09-26

Revised: 2002-01-31

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Cited By (14)

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2013	Lu Y-C, Kemper AR, Gayzik S, Untaroiu CD, Beillas P. Statistical modeling of human liver incorporating the variations in shape, size, and material properties. Stapp Car Crash J. November 2013;57:285-311.
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2011	Chen CG. TGF-Β/Smad3 Regulation of Bone, Cartilage, and Tendon Matrix Composition and Material Properties [PhD thesis]. San Francisco, University of California; 2011.
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2017	Dunford KM. Effect of Postmortem Time and Preservation Fluid on the Tensile Material Properties of Bovine Liver Parenchyma [Master's thesis]. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University; October 5, 2017.