Predicting Fibrotic Progression in Renal Transplant Tissue Using FT-IR Imaging

Abstract

Kidney is the most transplanted organ in the United States. Transplantation is the primary treatment for end-stage renal disease, yet 50% of transplants progress to chronic allograft injury. It is difficult to discern pathological changes at early time points through the current gold standard (histochemical staining) at which point treatment or intervention may be effective. One of the major signs of injury in a transplanted kidney is the presence of fibrosis. Masson’s Trichrome stains can be used to determine quantity of fibrosis within a transplant biopsy. To predict progression of allograft injury at early time points, we propose using IR imaging to identify biochemical changes corresponding to increased fibrosis.