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Towards the Feasibility of Using Ultrasound to Determine Mechanical Properties of Tissues in a Bioreactor

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Abstract

Our ultimate goal is to non-destructively evaluate mechanical properties of tissue-engineered (TE) cartilage using ultrasound (US). We used agarose gels as surrogates for TE cartilage. Previously, we showed that mechanical properties measured using conventional methods were related to those measured using US, which suggested a way to non-destructively predict mechanical properties of samples with known volume fractions. In this study, we sought to determine whether the mechanical properties of samples, with unknown volume fractions could be predicted by US. Aggregate moduli were calculated for hydrogels as a function of SOS, based on concentration and density using a poroelastic model. The data were used to train a statistical model, which we then used to predict volume fractions and mechanical properties of unknown samples. Young’s and storage moduli were measured mechanically. The statistical model generally predicted the Young’s moduli in compression to within <10% of their mechanically measured value. We defined positive linear correlations between the aggregate modulus predicted from US and both the storage and Young’s moduli determined from mechanical tests. Mechanical properties of hydrogels with unknown volume fractions can be predicted successfully from US measurements. This method has the potential to predict mechanical properties of TE cartilage non-destructively in a bioreactor.

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Acknowledgments

Research reported in this publication was supported by the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases of the National Institutes of Health under Awards Number P01 AR053622 (JMM, JFW, MDS) and AR050208 (JFW). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health. Mr. Joseph Heebner was the recipient of an ENGAGE fellowship. Funding for ENGAGE 2013 came from the National Center for Regenerative Medicine (www.ncrm.us) and proceeds from MSC 2011 conference (www.mscconference.net). Mr. Jake Althans and Ms. Sarah Abdalian were supported by the Gilmour Academy Catalyst program.

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The authors have no financial relationships that may cause a conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, 2123 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Glennan Building Room 616A, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA

    Joseph M. Mansour, Di-Win Marine Gu, Chen-Yuan Chung & Joseph Heebner

  2. Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA

    Mark D. Schluchter & Yiying Liu

  3. Department of Biology (Skeletal Research Center), Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA

    Jean F. Welter

  4. Gilmour Academy, Gates Mills, OH, USA

    Jake Althans & Sarah Abdalian

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  1. Joseph M. Mansour
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  2. Di-Win Marine Gu
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  9. Jean F. Welter
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Correspondence to Joseph M. Mansour.

Additional information

Associate Editor Sean S. Kohles oversaw the review of this article.

Di-Win Marine Gu, Chen-Yuan Chung and Joseph Heebner have contributed equally to this work.

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Mansour, J.M., Gu, DW.M., Chung, CY. et al. Towards the Feasibility of Using Ultrasound to Determine Mechanical Properties of Tissues in a Bioreactor. Ann Biomed Eng 42, 2190–2202 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10439-014-1079-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10439-014-1079-4

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