title: Non-invasive evaluation of liver stiffness after splenectomy in rabbits with CCl4-induced liver fibrosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the diagnostic performance of liver stiffness measurement (LSM) by elastography point quantification (ElastPQ) in animal models and determine the longitudinal changes in liver stiffness by ElastPQ after splenectomy at different stages of fibrosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Liver stiffness was measured in sixty-eight rabbits with CCl4-induced liver fibrosis at different stages and eight healthy control rabbits by ElastPQ. Liver biopsies and blood samples were obtained at scheduled time points to assess liver function and degree of fibrosis. Thirty-one rabbits with complete data that underwent splenectomy at different stages of liver fibrosis were then included for dynamic monitoring of changes in liver stiffness by ElastPQ and liver function according to blood tests.
  
  
  RESULTS
  LSM by ElastPQ was significantly correlated with histologic fibrosis stage (r= 0.85,P< 0.001). The optimal cutoff values by ElastPQ were 11.27, 14.89, and 18.21 kPa for predicting minimal fibrosis, moderate fibrosis, and cirrhosis, respectively. Longitudinal monitoring of the changes in liver stiffness by ElastPQ showed that early splenectomy (especially F1) may delay liver fibrosis progression.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ElastPQ is an available, convenient, objective and non-invasive technique for assessing liver stiffness in rabbits with CCl4-induced liver fibrosis. In addition, liver stiffness measurements using ElastPQ can dynamically monitor the changes in liver stiffness in rabbit models, and in patients, after splenectomy.
authors.affiliation: Ming-Jun Wang, Ling-Wei Meng, He Cai, Bing Peng, Department of Pancreatic Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan Province, China.
authors.forename: Ming-Jun
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Ming-Jun Wang, Ling-Wei Meng, He Cai, Bing Peng, Department of Pancreatic Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan Province, China.
authors.forename: Wen-Wu
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Ling
authors.affiliation: Ming-Jun Wang, Ling-Wei Meng, He Cai, Bing Peng, Department of Pancreatic Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan Province, China.
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Ming-Jun Wang, Ling-Wei Meng, He Cai, Bing Peng, Department of Pancreatic Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan Province, China.
authors.forename: Ling-Wei
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Meng
authors.affiliation: Ming-Jun Wang, Ling-Wei Meng, He Cai, Bing Peng, Department of Pancreatic Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan Province, China.
authors.forename: He
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.affiliation: Ming-Jun Wang, Ling-Wei Meng, He Cai, Bing Peng, Department of Pancreatic Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan Province, China.
authors.forename: Bing
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Peng
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001706:Biopsy; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride / Q000633:toxicity; D018450:Disease Progression; D054459:Elasticity Imaging Techniques; D005355:Fibrosis; D008099:Liver / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D011817:Rabbits; D013156:Splenectomy
chemical_list: D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride
keywords: Elastography point quantification; Fibrosis stages; Liver stiffness; Non-invasive technique; Splenectomy