Measurement of the mechanical characteristics of benign prostatic tissue: a novel method for assessing benign prostatic disease.

OBJECTIVES To investigate the relationship between the morphology and the mechanical properties of benign prostatic tissues measured in vitro. METHODS Fresh tissue specimens were collected from 17 patients undergoing transurethral resection of the prostate for benign prostatic obstruction. Individual tissue specimens underwent immediate mechanical testing, by applying a dynamic compressive strain to the samples. The amplitude ratio (E*) and phase difference (tan delta), measures of tissue elastic and viscous components, were derived. Individual sections from the processed specimens underwent immunohistochemical staining and computerized image analysis to measure the morphologic characteristics of each transurethral resection of the prostate chipping. Correlations between the morphologic and mechanical measurements were assessed. RESULTS A strong positive correlation was found between prostatic smooth muscle content and (E*) (R2 = 0.58, P = 0.009). CONCLUSIONS The results of this study have demonstrated that strong correlations exist between prostatic tissue morphology and mechanical characteristics. We believe that the ability to quantify prostatic tissue mechanical characteristics in vivo may be of clinical benefit in the future assessment and treatment of benign prostatic disease.

[1]  M. Caine.  The present role of alpha-adrenergic blockers in the treatment of benign prostatic hypertrophy. , 1986, The Journal of urology.

[2]  Y. Fung,et al.  Biomechanics: Mechanical Properties of Living Tissues , 1981 .

[3]  H. Watanabe,et al.  New concept of BPH: PCAR theory , 1998, The Prostate.

[4]  M. Becich,et al.  The relative proportion of stromal and epithelial hyperplasia is related to the development of symptomatic benign prostate hyperplasia. , 1992, The Journal of urology.

[5]  S. Phipps,et al.  Quantitative morphometric analysis of individual resected prostatic tissue specimens, using immunohistochemical staining and colour‐image analysis , 2004, BJU international.

[6]  H. Lepor,et al.  The response to alpha blockade in benign prostatic hyperplasia is related to the percent area density of prostate smooth muscle , 1992, The Prostate.

[7]  T. Krouskop,et al.  Elastic Moduli of Breast and Prostate Tissues under Compression , 1998, Ultrasonic imaging.

[8]  M. Sato.  [Mechanical properties of living tissues]. , 1986, Iyo denshi to seitai kogaku. Japanese journal of medical electronics and biological engineering.

[9]  J. J. de la Rosette,et al.  The correlation between prostate volume, transition zone volume, transition zone index and clinical and urodynamic investigations in patients with lower urinary tract symptoms. , 1997, British journal of urology.

[10]  C. Roehrborn,et al.  The effect of finasteride on the risk of acute urinary retention and the need for surgical treatment among men with benign prostatic hyperplasia , 1998 .

[11]  A. Partin,et al.  Long-term effects of finasteride on prostate tissue composition. , 1999, Urology.

[12]  O. Ichiyanagi,et al.  Relation between urethral elasticity and bladder outlet obstruction and histologic composition of the prostate in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia. , 1999, Urology.