Magnetic Resonance Elastography (MRE)

MRE is a phase-contrast-based MRI imaging technique. Mechanical waves can be visualized and quantitatively measured in tissue or appropriate materials exposed to harmonic mechanical excitation. Dynamic MRE uses propagating shear waves instead of static stress as a probe. Therefore knowledge of regional stress distributions is not required for data processing.

The acquired data allows the quantification of spatially resolved values of the shear modulus. The calculated tissue elasticity can then be depicted in form of images. MRE overcomes the limitations of manual palpation which is restricted to soft tissue close to the surface of the body. With appropriate MRE excitation and acquisition techniques the palpation of brain or heart-tissue is possible.