title: A test for cavitation as a mechanism for intestinal hemorrhage in mice exposed to a piezoelectric lithotripter.
abstract: This study tested the hypothesis that intestinal hemorrhage produced by exposure to lithotripter fields depends upon the presence of gas in the intestine. The extent of hemorrhage in the gas-containing intestines of pregnant mice was compared to the amount of hemorrhage in the bubble-free intestines of their fetuses. On day 18 of gestation, the abdominal regions of pregnant C3H mice (n = 6) were exposed to 200 pulses from a piezoelectric lithotripter. Acoustic pulses had a peak pressure amplitude of 10 MPa and were administered at a rate of approximately 1 Hz. All maternal intestines showed hemorrhagic regions extending several centimeters in length. In contrast, only 1 of 43 exposed fetuses showed an intestinal hemorrhage and this one lesion was less than 1 mm in diameter. These results support the hypothesis of the study and are consistent with a cavitation-related mechanism for the production of intestinal hemorrhage by exposure to acoustic fields.
authors.affiliation: Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Rochester, NY 14627, USA.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dalecki
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Raeman
authors.forename: S Z
authors.initials: SZ
authors.lastname: Child
authors.forename: E L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Carstensen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology; D007422:Intestines / Q000293:injuries*; D008096:Lithotripsy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D055370:Lung Injury; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D011247:Pregnancy