Institut für Radiologie und Kinderradiologie

Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin

Campus Mitte

Virchowweg 11, 2nd floor, Room 0059

10117, Berlin

Telephone: +49 30 450 539 078

Email: gergely.bertalan@charite.de

 

Quantitative tissue characterization by effective-medium mechanical parameters in preclinical small animal models

PIs: Sack, Fischer, Schmitt/Duda

Application Area: Cancer

Modalities: MRI, MRE

Background: Mechanical parameters of soft tissues sensitively change due to many pathological processes such as stroke, neurodegenerative disorders, tumors or fibrosis. In recent years, attempts to study the mechanical properties of soft tissues, through small animal models by nanoindentation methods and in vivo elastography, have begun to increase our understanding of the biophysical mechanisms underlying the development and disease of soft tissues. However, despite the significant progress achieved over the last two decades, recent modalities for in-vivo mechanical tests in small animal models remain limited in terms of spatial resolution and reproducibility.

Aim: In this project we aim to develop methods for quantitative 3D imaging including elasticity mapping in small animal models.

Methods: Preclinical MRI elastography (MRE) will be developed towards multifrequency high-resolution MRE in the mouse. Heterogeneity of mechanical parameters in neuronal tissue and tumors will be studied in animal models including a lymphoma mouse model. MRE will be correlated with histological markers of cellular and ECM components in order to conclude from macroscopic mechanical parameters to specific microstructural changes associated with disease.