Magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) is a non-invasive medical imaging technique that measures the mechanical properties (stiffness) of soft tissues by introducing shear waves and imaging their propagation using MRI. Pathological tissues are often harder than the surrounding normal tissue, for instance, malignant breast tumors are much harder than healthy fibro-glandular tissue. This characteristic has been used by physicians for screening and diagnosis of many diseases, through Palpation. MRE calculates the mechanical parameter as elicited by palpation, in a non-invasive and objective way.
Magnetic resonance elastography was first introduced by Muthupillai et al. in 1995 and is being investigated to be used for a multitude of diseases that affect the tissue stiffness. It is currently being clinically used for the assessment of hepatic fibrosis, since it is well known that the liver stiffness increases with the progression of this disease. It is being investigated for the diagnosis of diseases and also for studying the treatment efficacy. For instance, this has been utilized in ablative treatments done with Focused Ultrasound where the treated necrosed tissue can be distinguished with MRE even in real time.
Famous quotes containing the words magnetic and/or resonance:
“We are in great haste to construct a magnetic telegraph from Maine to Texas; but Maine and Texas, it may be, have nothing important to communicate.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“It is closing time in the gardens of the West and from now on an artist will be judged only by the resonance of his solitude or the quality of his despair.”
—Cyril Connolly (1903–1974)