title: Detecting stiff masses using strain-encoded (SENC) imaging.
abstract: A method is proposed for detecting stiff masses using strain-encoded (SENC) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). An object of interest is compressed to produce local strain distribution that depends on local elasticity, where intensities correlate with the local through-imaging-plane strain component. Because the strain is lower inside a stiff mass than in the surrounding soft tissue, an intensity contrast in the resulting images would enable direct detection of the mass without postprocessing. The technique was validated by a phantom experiment in which a gel phantom with a stiff region was used. The advantages of the proposed method include short imaging time and uncomplicated postprocessing. However, in its current form the technique does not measure elasticity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21287, USA. nael@jhu.edu
authors.forename: Nael F
authors.initials: NF
authors.lastname: Osman
mesh_terms: D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity