In vivo Ultrafast Quantitative Ultrasound and Shear Wave Elastography Imaging on Farm-Raised Duck Livers during Force Feeding

Marc Gesnik; Manish Bhatt; Marie-Hélène Roy Cardinal; François Destrempes; Louise Allard; Bich N Nguyen; Thierry Alquier; Jean-François Giroux; An Tang; Guy Cloutier

doi:10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2020.03.005

In vivo Ultrafast Quantitative Ultrasound and Shear Wave Elastography Imaging on Farm-Raised Duck Livers during Force Feeding

Ultrasound Med Biol. 2020 Jul;46(7):1715-1726. doi: 10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2020.03.005. Epub 2020 May 4.

Affiliations

¹ Laboratory of Biorheology and Medical Ultrasonics, University of Montreal Hospital Research Center (CRCHUM), Montréal, QC, Canada.
² Service of Pathology, University of Montreal Hospital (CHUM), Montréal, QC, Canada.
³ CRCHUM and Montreal Diabetes Research Center, Montréal, QC, Canada; Department of Medicine, University of Montreal, Montréal, QC, Canada.
⁴ Department of Biological Sciences, University of Quebec in Montreal, Montréal, QC, Canada.
⁵ Service of Radiology, University of Montreal Hospital (CHUM), Montréal, QC, Canada; Department of Radiology, Radio-Oncology and Nuclear Medicine, University of Montreal, Montréal, QC, Canada; Laboratory of Medical Image Analysis, University of Montreal Hospital Research Center (CRCHUM), Montréal, QC, Canada; Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Montreal, Montréal, QC, Canada.
⁶ Laboratory of Biorheology and Medical Ultrasonics, University of Montreal Hospital Research Center (CRCHUM), Montréal, QC, Canada; Department of Radiology, Radio-Oncology and Nuclear Medicine, University of Montreal, Montréal, QC, Canada; Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Montreal, Montréal, QC, Canada. Electronic address: guy.cloutier@umontreal.ca.

PMID: 32381381
DOI: 10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2020.03.005

Abstract

Shear wave elastography (speed and dispersion), local attenuation coefficient slope and homodyned-K parametric imaging were used for liver steatosis grading. These ultrasound biomarkers rely on physical interactions between shear and compression waves with tissues at both macroscopic and microscopic scales. These techniques were applied in a context not yet studied with ultrasound imaging, that is, monitoring steatosis of force-fed duck livers from pre-force-fed to foie gras stages. Each estimated feature presented a statistically significant trend along the feeding process (p values <10^-3). However, whereas a monotonic increase in the shear wave speed was observed along the process, most quantitative ultrasound features exhibited an absolute maximum value halfway through the process. As the liver fat fraction in foie gras is much higher than that seen clinically, we hypothesized that a change in the ultrasound scattering regime is encountered for high-fat fractions, and consequently, care has to be taken when applying ultrasound biomarkers to grading of severe states of steatosis.

Keywords: Duck foie gras; Histopathology; Homodyned K-distribution; Liver steatosis; Local attenuation; Quantitative ultrasound; Shear wave dispersion; Shear wave elastography.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Animals
Ducks*
Elasticity Imaging Techniques* / methods
Elasticity Imaging Techniques* / veterinary
Enteral Nutrition / veterinary
Fatty Liver / diagnostic imaging
Fatty Liver / veterinary
Liver / anatomy & histology
Liver / diagnostic imaging*
Ultrasonography* / methods
Ultrasonography* / veterinary