Evaluation of Hepatic Steatosis Grades with Thermoacoustic Imaging in a Rabbit Model
Objective: Simple hepatic steatosis can no longer be ignored as a "benign finding", and the management and evaluation of the clinical interventions depend on the degree of hepatic steatosis. Here, we aimed to investigate the feasibility and diagnostic performance of thermoacoustic imaging...
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Editorial Office of Advanced Ultrasound in Diagnosis and Therapy
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Advanced Ultrasound in Diagnosis and Therapy |
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| Online Access: | https://www.journaladvancedultrasound.com/fileup/2576-2516/PDF/1751848728710-2066211445.pdf |
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| author | Xiang Hongjin, Huang Lin, Zheng Zhu, Li Jiawu, Qiu Tingting, Wu Zhenru, Shi Yujun, Jiang Huabei, Ling Wenwu, Luo Yan |
| author_facet | Xiang Hongjin, Huang Lin, Zheng Zhu, Li Jiawu, Qiu Tingting, Wu Zhenru, Shi Yujun, Jiang Huabei, Ling Wenwu, Luo Yan |
| author_sort | Xiang Hongjin, Huang Lin, Zheng Zhu, Li Jiawu, Qiu Tingting, Wu Zhenru, Shi Yujun, Jiang Huabei, Ling Wenwu, Luo Yan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objective: Simple hepatic steatosis can no longer be ignored as a "benign finding", and the management and evaluation of the clinical interventions depend on the degree of hepatic steatosis. Here, we aimed to investigate the feasibility and diagnostic performance of thermoacoustic imaging (TAI) for assessing hepatic steatosis grades in a rabbit model. Methods: High-fat diet was used for the rabbits. To collect various degrees of hepatic steatosis, the diet duration was different (4, 8, 12, 16, 20, and 24 weeks). An in-vivo liver TAI imaging system was developed. At the end of the feed point, rabbits underwent the TAI and laparotomy for liver histopathology. Results: We performed TAI and histopathologic examinations for 33 rabbits developing none (n = 4), mild (n = 16), moderate (n = 6), and severe (n = 7) steatosis with/without hepatic fibrosis. A strong correlation was found between the thermoacoustic fat coefficient (TAFC) derived from TAI and liver fat percentage (Pearson correlation coefficient, 0.865; P < 0.001). Besides, TAFC showed significant differences between the consecutive grades of steatosis. TAI potentially provided a good diagnostic performance, with 83% sensitivity and 100% specificity for mild steatosis, 92% sensitivity and 95% specificity for moderated steatosis, and 100% sensitivity and 92% specificity for severe steatosis. The fibrosis stage did not significantly affect the TAFC. Conclusion: Our findings demonstrate that TAI is a promising way to evaluate hepatic steatosis grades. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-ce78fc474fdb4077b7759e7b250c8f0c |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2576-2516 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | Editorial Office of Advanced Ultrasound in Diagnosis and Therapy |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Advanced Ultrasound in Diagnosis and Therapy |
| spelling | doaj-art-ce78fc474fdb4077b7759e7b250c8f0c2025-08-20T03:28:58ZengEditorial Office of Advanced Ultrasound in Diagnosis and TherapyAdvanced Ultrasound in Diagnosis and Therapy2576-25162025-06-019217118010.37015/AUDT.2025.240074Evaluation of Hepatic Steatosis Grades with Thermoacoustic Imaging in a Rabbit ModelXiang Hongjin, Huang Lin, Zheng Zhu, Li Jiawu, Qiu Tingting, Wu Zhenru, Shi Yujun, Jiang Huabei, Ling Wenwu, Luo Yan0aDepartment of Ultrasound, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China;bSchool of Electronic Science and Engineering, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, Sichuan, China;cShenzhen Mindray Bio-medical Electronics Co., Ltd., Shenzhen, Guangdong, China;dLaboratory of Pathology, Key Laboratory of Transplant Engineering and Immunology, NHC, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China;eDepartment of Medical Engineering, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USAObjective: Simple hepatic steatosis can no longer be ignored as a "benign finding", and the management and evaluation of the clinical interventions depend on the degree of hepatic steatosis. Here, we aimed to investigate the feasibility and diagnostic performance of thermoacoustic imaging (TAI) for assessing hepatic steatosis grades in a rabbit model. Methods: High-fat diet was used for the rabbits. To collect various degrees of hepatic steatosis, the diet duration was different (4, 8, 12, 16, 20, and 24 weeks). An in-vivo liver TAI imaging system was developed. At the end of the feed point, rabbits underwent the TAI and laparotomy for liver histopathology. Results: We performed TAI and histopathologic examinations for 33 rabbits developing none (n = 4), mild (n = 16), moderate (n = 6), and severe (n = 7) steatosis with/without hepatic fibrosis. A strong correlation was found between the thermoacoustic fat coefficient (TAFC) derived from TAI and liver fat percentage (Pearson correlation coefficient, 0.865; P < 0.001). Besides, TAFC showed significant differences between the consecutive grades of steatosis. TAI potentially provided a good diagnostic performance, with 83% sensitivity and 100% specificity for mild steatosis, 92% sensitivity and 95% specificity for moderated steatosis, and 100% sensitivity and 92% specificity for severe steatosis. The fibrosis stage did not significantly affect the TAFC. Conclusion: Our findings demonstrate that TAI is a promising way to evaluate hepatic steatosis grades.https://www.journaladvancedultrasound.com/fileup/2576-2516/PDF/1751848728710-2066211445.pdf|hepatic steatosis grade|thermoacoustic imaging |
| spellingShingle | Xiang Hongjin, Huang Lin, Zheng Zhu, Li Jiawu, Qiu Tingting, Wu Zhenru, Shi Yujun, Jiang Huabei, Ling Wenwu, Luo Yan Evaluation of Hepatic Steatosis Grades with Thermoacoustic Imaging in a Rabbit Model Advanced Ultrasound in Diagnosis and Therapy |hepatic steatosis grade|thermoacoustic imaging |
| title | Evaluation of Hepatic Steatosis Grades with Thermoacoustic Imaging in a Rabbit Model |
| title_full | Evaluation of Hepatic Steatosis Grades with Thermoacoustic Imaging in a Rabbit Model |
| title_fullStr | Evaluation of Hepatic Steatosis Grades with Thermoacoustic Imaging in a Rabbit Model |
| title_full_unstemmed | Evaluation of Hepatic Steatosis Grades with Thermoacoustic Imaging in a Rabbit Model |
| title_short | Evaluation of Hepatic Steatosis Grades with Thermoacoustic Imaging in a Rabbit Model |
| title_sort | evaluation of hepatic steatosis grades with thermoacoustic imaging in a rabbit model |
| topic | |hepatic steatosis grade|thermoacoustic imaging |
| url | https://www.journaladvancedultrasound.com/fileup/2576-2516/PDF/1751848728710-2066211445.pdf |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT xianghongjinhuanglinzhengzhulijiawuqiutingtingwuzhenrushiyujunjianghuabeilingwenwuluoyan evaluationofhepaticsteatosisgradeswiththermoacousticimaginginarabbitmodel |