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Longitudinal Measurement of Extracellular Matrix Rigidity in 3D Tumor Models Using Particle-tracking Microrheology
Published on: June 10, 2014
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Multi-frequency shear modulus measurements discriminate tumorous from healthy tissues
S Nicolle1, J-F Palierne2, D Mitton1
1Univ Lyon, Univ Gustave Eiffel, Univ Claude Bernard Lyon 1, LBMC UMR_T 9406, F-69622, Lyon, France.
Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Biomedical Materials
|February 15, 2023
Summary
Frequency-dependent mechanical properties, not just stiffness, can distinguish cancerous tumors from healthy tissues in elastography. This method improves tumor detection even when tissue stiffness is similar.
Area of Science:
- Biophysics
- Biomaterials Science
- Medical Imaging Physics
Background:
- Elastography relies on mechanical properties to differentiate tissues.
- Cancerous lesions can exhibit similar shear moduli to surrounding healthy tissues, complicating detection.
- Magnitude of shear modulus alone is insufficient for accurate tissue discrimination in elastography.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the frequency dependence of mechanical properties for distinguishing cancerous tumors from healthy tissues.
- To assess the efficacy of using the frequency-dependent shear modulus for improved contrast in elastography.
- To compare the mechanical properties of xenograft tumors with those of fat, skin, and muscle.
Main Methods:
- Measurement of shear modulus G*(ω) across a frequency range (0.25–63 Hz) in xenograft subcutaneous tumors and adjacent mouse tissues (fat, skin, muscle).
- Application of the fractional model G*(ω) = K(iω)ⁿ to characterize tissue viscoelasticity using parameters K (coefficient) and n (exponent).
- Statistical analysis (Mann-Whitney test) to compare K and n parameters between tumor and healthy tissues.
Main Results:
- Tumor shear modulus increased by 42% with frequency, while fat, skin, and muscle varied by 77%, 103%, and 120%, respectively.
- K parameter values were comparable for tumor, skin, and muscle, but significantly lower for fat (p < 0.001).
- n parameter values showed tumor and fat to be comparable (p > 0.43), while tumors differed significantly from skin and muscle (p < 0.001).
Conclusions:
- Frequency dependence of shear modulus, characterized by parameters K and n, effectively differentiates tumor tissues from fat, skin, and muscle.
- This approach offers improved contrast in elastography, enabling tumor detection even with similar absolute shear moduli.
- Mechanical property frequency dispersion is a critical factor for accurate tissue characterization in biomedical applications.
