Non-invasive characterization of intracranial tumors by magnetic resonance elastography

Simon M, Papazoglou S, Scholand-Engler H, Erdmann C, Melchert U, Bonsanto M, Braun J, Petersen D, Wuerfel J, Sack I, Guo J (2013)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2013

Journal

New Journal of Physics Institute of Physics: Open Access Journals / Institute of Physics (IoP) and Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft

Book Volume: 15

Article Number: 085024

DOI: 10.1088/1367-2630/15/8/085024

Abstract

Presurgical, non-invasive methods of differentiating brain tumors have remained unsatisfactory even for specialized academic hospitals. Despite major advances in clinical and neuroradiological diagnostic techniques, the majority of neurooncology patients still need to undergo a brain biopsy for diagnosis. Recent single cell experiments suggested that biomechanical cell properties might be very sensitive in detecting cellular malignancy. Accordingly, we investigated magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) as an investigative tool for the clinical routine diagnostic work-up of intracranial neoplasm. In order to obtain sufficient spatial resolution for the biomechanical characterization of intracranial tumors, we modified a recently introduced least-squares solution of the stationary wave equation, facilitating stable solutions of the magnitude |G*| and the phase angle α of the complex shear modulus G*. MRE was added to a routine diagnostic or presurgical neuroradiological magnetic resonance imaging work-up in 16 prospective patients and it was well tolerated in all cases. Our preliminary tumor MRE data revealed alterations in viscoelastic constants, e.g. a loss of stiffness in malignancies compared to healthy reference tissue, or benign variants. Based on larger studies on selected tumor entities to establish threshold and reference values for future diagnostic purposes, MRE may thus provide a predictive marker for tumor malignancy and thereby contribute to an early non-invasive clinical assessment of suspicious cerebral lesions. © IOP Publishing and Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft.

Involved external institutions

Universität zu Lübeck DE Germany (DE) Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin DE Germany (DE) Universitätsklinikum Schleswig-Holstein (UKSH) DE Germany (DE)

How to cite

APA:

Simon, M., Papazoglou, S., Scholand-Engler, H., Erdmann, C., Melchert, U., Bonsanto, M.,... Guo, J. (2013). Non-invasive characterization of intracranial tumors by magnetic resonance elastography. New Journal of Physics, 15. https://doi.org/10.1088/1367-2630/15/8/085024

MLA:

Simon, M., et al. "Non-invasive characterization of intracranial tumors by magnetic resonance elastography." New Journal of Physics 15 (2013).

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