title: Shear wave dispersion measures liver steatosis.
abstract: Crawling waves, which are interfering shear wave patterns, can be generated in liver tissue over a range of frequencies. Some important biomechanical properties of the liver can be determined by imaging the crawling waves using Doppler techniques and analyzing the patterns. We report that the dispersion of shear wave velocity and attenuation, that is, the frequency dependence of these parameters, are strongly correlated with the degree of steatosis in a mouse liver model, ex vivo. The results demonstrate the possibility of assessing liver steatosis using noninvasive imaging methods that are compatible with color Doppler scanners and, furthermore, suggest that liver steatosis can be separated from fibrosis by assessing the dispersion or frequency dependence of shear wave propagations.
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14627-0126, USA.
authors.forename: Christopher T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Barry
authors.forename: Bradley
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mills
authors.forename: Zaegyoo
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Hah
authors.forename: Robert A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Mooney
authors.forename: Charlotte K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Ryan
authors.forename: Deborah J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Rubens
authors.forename: Kevin J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Parker
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D000818:Animals; D003198:Computer Simulation; D054459:Elasticity Imaging Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D051379:Mice; D008954:Models, Biological; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012542:Scattering, Radiation; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D033081:Shear Strength