Carbon Tetrachioride Induced Changes in Ultrasonic Properties of Liver

This paper presents a study of rat livers excised at 1, 5, and 24 h after injection of the toxic agent carbon tetrachloride (CCl4). The CCl4 damage results in a swollen, fatty liver at 24 h postinjection, with some necrosis localized in centrilobular regions. Measurements of ultrasonic absorption, attenuation, and backscatter were obtained over a frequency range of 1-11 MHz, and the values were compared to those obtained from a control group of rats who received no injections. Significant changes in absorption and attenuation were observed as a function of time; however, little change in backscattered signal strength was noted. These data are presented along with a description of structural and biochemical changes that are typical of the rat liver response to CCf4 poisoning. The results may provide an explanation for the variation among preliminary attenuation estimates obtained from humans, as reported by different investigators.