Mechanical Property Characterization of Prostate Cancer Using a Minimally Motorized Indenter in an Ex Vivo Indentation Experiment

ObjectivesTo measure the mechanical property of prostatic tissues using a minimally motorized indenter and to determine whether measurable differences in mechanical property exist between cancerous and noncancerous tissues in an ex vivo experiment.MethodsA total of 552 sites from 46 prostate specimens taken during radical prostatectomy underwent an indentation experiment with a minimally motorized indenter, and the elastic modulus (Young's modulus) of the tissue was estimated.ResultsThe mean elastic modulus of the regions containing cancer and noncancer was 24.1 ± 14.5 and 17.0 ± 9.0 kPa, respectively. In the noncancerous regions, the prostate was separated into 5 parts according to the post hoc test for comparing the elastic modulus between the 2 groups: part 1, lateral apex; part 2, medial apex; part 3, lateral-mid; part 4, lateral base; and part 5, medial-mid and medial base. In the regions containing cancer tissue, the prostate was also separated into 5 parts: part 1, lateral apex and medial apex; part 2, lateral-mid; part 3, lateral base; part 4, medial base; and part 5, medial-mid. The elastic modulus was greater in the tissue with a Gleason score of 8 than in the other tissue. The elastic modulus was significantly greater in the tissue with a tumor volume >5 cm3 than in the other tissue.ConclusionsWe determined the elastic moduli of prostatic tissue as a quantitative and objective parameter according to the regions of the prostate, the presence of cancerous tissue, the tumor volume, and the Gleason score.