Real-Time Tissue Elastography to Evaluate Hepatic Hypoxic-Ischemic Injury Caused by Brain Death.

ABSTRACT This study aimed to explore the potential of real-time tissue elastography (RTE) in evaluating hepatic hypoxic-ischemic injury caused by brain death. We performed RTE and biopsy for 50 donated liver. Hematoxylin-eosin staining was used to observe hepatocyte acidophilic change. Liver grafts were divided into 2 groups, one nonacidophilic change (n = 7) and the other with acidophilic change (n = 43). Correlation and difference analysis were performed for hematoxylin-eosin staining results and RTE parameters. The result indicated that 4 of the 11 RTE parameters, namely, the area of low strain within the region of interest (%AREA), contrast (CONT), inverse difference moment (IDM), and correlation (CORR) were related to hepatocytes acidophilic change (r = 0.284, P = 0.046; r = 0.349, P = 0.013; r = -0.444, P = 0.001; r = -0.381, P = 0.00). Whereas %AREA and CONT of the nonacidophilic change group were lower than that of the acidophilic change group (P 0.05). Analysis of receiver operating characteristic curve indicated that the area under the curve of %AREA, CONT, IDM, and CORR were 0.75, 0.79, 0.81, and 0.77, respectively. Based on this, we concluded that the quantitative analysis parameters of RTE could preliminary assess hepatic hypoxic-ischemic injury caused by brain death.