Elastographic evaluation of the temporal formation of ethanol-induced hepatic lesions: preliminary in vitro results.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the temporal formation of ethanol-induced hepatic lesions using ultrasound elastography.


METHODS
An in vitro porcine liver was used as the specimen, and 4 lesions were created by injection of 2 mL of ethanol. After the ethanol injection, freehand elastography of the lesion from an identical scan plane was obtained during a time series (with an interval of approximately 30 seconds in the first 2 minutes and 1 minute afterward) using a real-time ultrasound scanner. The area of the lesion in the elastographic sequences was calculated to depict the temporal formation of the lesion.


RESULTS
The ethanol-induced lesion on elastography appeared as a low-strain region whose boundary was clear and irregular. The elastographic sequences obtained after the ethanol injection showed that the lesion formed quickly in the first 2 minutes and then changed little in shape. The area of the lesion grew notably in the first 2 minutes after ethanol injection, and then it reached a plateau of about 0.7 cm(2).


CONCLUSIONS
Ultrasound elastography is capable of monitoring the temporal formation of ethanol-induced lesions and is a potential imaging modality to evaluate the response of percutaneous ethanol injection therapy.
Shao
Jinhua
J
Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, 100084 Beijing, China.
Bai
Jing
J
Cui
Ligang
L
Wang
Jinrui
J
Fu
Yifei
Y
Liu
Ke
K
Feng
Shunyou
S
D000818:Animals; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D000431:Ethanol / Q000633:toxicity*; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008099:Liver / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D013552:Swine; D013997:Time Factors; D014463:Ultrasonography
D000431:Ethanol