Overview
Many diseases alter the mechanical properties of tissue. Accordingly, the mechanical properties can serve as biomarkers for disease, diagnosis, and tumor assessment. While some larger diseased tissues or abnormalities near the surface of a patient can be detected by palpitation, many are located deep within the patient or too small to identify. Some indications include liver fibrosis or other growths inside the thoracic cavity. A non-invasive means for detecting mechanical properties of patient tissue would provide physicians with a reliable tool to diagnose and monitor diseased tissue.
Viscoelastic materials (complex fluids) exhibit the elastic properties of solids as well as the viscous flow characteristics of fluids in response to shearing stresses. The study of the mechanical properties of viscoelastic materials is known as 'rheology.' Rheo-NMR uses nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) to measure the fluid flow response to deformational stresses.
Magnetic Resonance Elastography (MRE) is one non-invasive method for detecting mechanical properties in a tissue in the field of Rheo-NMR. MRE mechanically excites the tissue by introducing shear waves through ultrasound. Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Images (MRI) of the propagation of the shear waves are taken. Specific mathematical algorithms are used to interpret the images and generate used to interpret the images and generate quantitative images depicting tissue stiffness.
Advantages
Non-invasive method for determining the mechanical property of a material or human tissue
Stage of Development
The technique has been demonstrated in a number of model systems.
Contact Info
Office of Technology Transfer
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Baltimore, MD 21201
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (410) 706-2380