title: Viscoelastic properties of human bladder tumours.
abstract: The urinary bladder is an organ which facilitates the storage and release of urine. The bladder can develop tumours and bladder cancer is a common malignancy throughout the world. There is a consensus that there are differences in the mechanical properties of normal and malignant tissues. However, the viscoelastic properties of human bladder tumours at the macro-scale have not been previously studied. This study investigated the viscoelastic properties of ten bladder tumours, which were tested using dynamic mechanical analysis at frequencies up to 30Hz. The storage modulus ranged between 0.052MPa and 0.085MPa while the loss modulus ranged between 0.019MPa and 0.043MPa. Both storage and loss moduli showed frequency dependent behaviour and the storage modulus was higher than the loss modulus for every frequency tested. Viscoelastic properties may be useful for the development of surgical trainers, surgical devices, computational models and diagnostic equipment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: S C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Barnes
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: B M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Lawless
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom. Electronic address: d.e.shepherd@bham.ac.uk.
authors.forename: D E T
authors.initials: DET
authors.lastname: Shepherd
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Espino
authors.affiliation: Institute of Cancer & Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: G R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Bicknell
authors.affiliation: Institute of Cancer & Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: R T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Bryan
mesh_terms: D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D004548:Elasticity; D006801:Humans; D001749:Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014783:Viscosity
keywords: Bladder cancer; Dynamic mechanical analysis; Human; Mechanical properties; Tumour; Viscoelasticity