Soft tissue elastometer.

We have developed a device entitled the 'Tissue Elastometer' (TE) for evaluating the Young's modulus of soft tissues. Soft tissue specimens are compressed between the object plate of an electronic balance and a linearly actuated indenter with a small rounded tip. The hardware of the device was designed such that a deformation model for semi-infinite media is applicable for calculating the Young's modulus of test specimens from their collected force-displacement data. Force-elongation measurements were performed on long strips of cured silicone mixtures to produce calibrated, tissue-mimicking test samples for the TE in a Young's modulus range of 10-400 kPa. When tested with the TE, the Young's moduli of the silicone samples demonstrated accuracy to within 1-10% of their calibrated values. Testing on excised tissue samples (fresh store-bought poultry breast; bovine liver, kidneys, hind shanks; porcine) was also performed, and a repeatability of elasticity measurements was demonstrated in the range of 8-14%. Results indicate that the TE can be effectively used in laboratory and clinical environments to evaluate the elasticity modulus of tissues.