Thermally induced changes in the elastic properties of prostatic tissue: a preliminary study on ex vivo bovine samples

Abstract

Objective. To characterise the thermally induced changes in the elastic properties of prostatic tissue and investigate their correlation with thermal dose. Approach. Ex vivo bovine prostate samples were subjected to three heating protocols—constant-rate heating, steady-state temperature, and steady-state emperature followed by rapid cooling. Acoustic Radiation Force-based Shear Wave Elastography was used to monitor shear wave speed (SWS), and the results were interpreted in relation to thermal dose using the cumulative equivalent minutes at 43◦C (CEM43) scale. Main results. Thermal exposure consistently resulted in increased SWS, with increments of up to five-fold observed at temperatures above 60◦C in the constant-rate heating tests. Irreversible changes were also observed in the steady-state temperature test followed by rapid cooling even at thermal exposures as low as 20 CEM43 min. Significance. These findings support the potential of elastography to delineate thermally ablated regions in prostate cancer treatment and encourages further investigation on the potential of SWS to serve as a biomarker of thermal dose.