Contribution of intercellular links to ultrasonic absorption of liver tissue

The method discussed aims to characterize the ultrasonic absorption of liver tissues between 3 and 8.75 MHz by the slope of its linear variation with frequency. A transmission measuring device has been used and a data processing system has directly calculated this slope, which is reduced when the strength of intercellular links are lessened by mild treatment with trypsin, although the cells are left intact. This was performed on three batches of Wistar rats and the effect is explained mainly by reduction of the amplitude of relaxation processes dissipating energy in the cells.