An experimental study: quantitatively evaluating the change of the content of collagen fibres in penis with two‐dimensional ShearWave™ Elastography

Summary The purpose of this study was to explore the value of two‐dimensional ShearWave™ Elastography (2D‐SWE) on quantitatively evaluating the change of the content of collagen fibres in penis. Twenty male Sprague Dawley rats were divided into the pre‐sexual maturity group (Group 1) and the sexual decline group (Group 2) according to age. The ultrafast ultrasound device Aixplorer® (SuperSonic Imagine, Aix‐en‐Provence, France) was used for 2D‐SWE imaging of penis, and the measurement index was shear wave stiffness (SWS). The immunohistochemistry was used to analyse the content of collagen fibres in penis, and the measurement index was positive area percentage (PAP). The differences of SWS between the two groups and PAP between the two groups were analysed. SWS of Group 1 and Group 2 was 10.18 ± 1.09 and 8.02 ± 1.34 kPa, and SWS of Group 2 was significantly lower than Group 1 (p