title: In-vitro dynamic micro-probing and the mechanical properties of human prostate tissues.
abstract: In vitro macro- and micro-indentation test systems have been designed to measure the dynamic micro-mechanical properties of human prostate tissues at actuation frequencies between 5 Hz and 30 Hz, and 0.5 Hz and 20 Hz, respectively. The development of in vitro test systems was aimed at assessing the capacity of such an in vivo medical probe to provide information useful for the diagnosis of various prostate diseases. The macro-indentation test system is an established one, which we have used to determine structure-property relationships in human and canine prostate tissues and here we use it to validate a newly-developed micro-indentation test system using a tissue phantom. Mechanical testing was also carried out on sections of prostate tissue harvested from cystectomy and radical prostatectomy, diagnosed with bladder cancer and benign prostatic hyperplasia. Dynamic probing under displacement control was carried at pre-strains between 5% and 8% for macro-probing and at 5% pre-strain for micro-probing, and the general effect of pre-strain on the dynamic mechanical properties (described by the amplitude ratio between stress and strain, and the phase lag between strain and stress) of phantom and prostate tissues is presented. Specific point probing on epithelial and stromal histological components was also carried out showing a significant difference between the amplitude ratios of epithelial and stromal components for actuation frequencies exceeding 5 Hz. However, no significant difference was found between phase lags for epithelial and stromal tissues.
authors.affiliation: Heriot-Watt University, School of Engineering and Physical Sciences, Edinburgh, UK. T.H.J.Yang@hw.ac.uk
authors.forename: T H J
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: S K W
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Leung
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Phipps
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Reuben
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: McNeill
authors.forename: F K
authors.initials: FK
authors.lastname: Habib
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schnieder
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Stevens
mesh_terms: D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D019245:Compressive Strength; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D011467:Prostate / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology; D011470:Prostatic Hyperplasia / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012828:Silicones / Q000032:analysis*; D017154:Stromal Cells / Q000473:pathology; D023822:Tissue Engineering
chemical_list: D012828:Silicones