Can Ultrasound Imaging Predict the Success of an Experimental Steatofibrosis Model?

Our goal was to evaluate the role of ultrasound (US) imaging in an experimental 2-hit steatofibrosis rat model. Nineteen female Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 2 groups: control group (n = 6) and high-fat diet carbontetrachloride (HFD-CCl4) group (n = 13) that was fed with HFD for 14 weeks. Ultrasound was performed to evaluate liver steatosis. The HFD-CCl4 group rats were divided further into 2 subgroups: HFD rats with liver steatosis [US (+) group; n = 6] and without steatosis [US (-) group; n = 7]. All rats in the subgroups were administered with CCl4. In both US (+) and US (-) subgroups, steatosis score, fibrosis score, triglyceride, and hydroxyproline contents were markedly higher compared with the control group. When compared with the US (-) group, triglyceride and hydroxyproline contents were significantly higher in the US (+) group, whereas steatosis and fibrosis scores were not different. Ultrasound imaging may be useful to assess the success of a 2-hit experimental steatofibrosis model.