Detection of hepatic cirrhosis using piezoelectric signals in collagen samples with different ethanol concentrations

Abstract

Hepatic cirrhosis is produced by high ethanol concentration in some parts of the body, mainly in contact with the liver. Several symptoms characterize it, but the most important is the degradation of this organ, preventing it from performing its important functions. Here, collagen-based samples were reacted with different ethanol concentrations to simulate and estimate its effect on liver degradation. The collagen samples were immersed in an ethanol-water mixture at different proportions and times. The collagen degradation was followed using Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) to measure and characterize the denaturation produced by its interaction with alcohol and the aggregation of collagen threads due to free radicals. There is a drastic reduction in the collagen piezoelectric signals produced by its interaction with ethanol. It was possible to obtain a correlation between the intensity of the piezoelectric signal and the degradation of the collagen molecules, allowing this technique to diagnose hepatic cirrhosis.