Robust MR elastography stiffness quantification using a localized divergence free finite element reconstruction

Tissue stiffness is considered a valuable clinical marker as abnormalities - such as tumors, inflamation, or fibrosis - can fundamentally alter tissue structure, leading to significant variations in material properties. In the case of tumors, factors such as angiogenesis, increase in cell stiffness, and compaction of surrounding tissue alter homeostatic conditions (Krouskop et  al., 1998; Paszek et al., 2005). In liver fibrosis, scarring occurs in the liver, yielding an increased collagen density in the extracellular matrix (Bataller and Brenner, 2005; Yeh et al., 2002).
Source: Medical Image Analysis - Category: Radiology Authors: Source Type: research