Quantitative elasticity imaging

Quantitative elasticity imaging is investigated for a wide range of gel-based, tissue equivalent phantoms and excised tissue specimens. To do this, strain imaging methods have been developed for very large surface deformations. Images produced by this approach exhibit a high signal to noise ratio (SNR). Results are presented demonstrating both the accuracy and sensitivity of the method for imaging internal strain in models of kidney pathology. In particular, strain images have been used to detect renal scar in a rabbit model of chronic nephritis before any detectable change in kidney function. Finally, reconstruction of the elastic modulus based on these high SNR strain images has been tested. Results on gel-based phantoms indicate that a method based on stress continuity can be used to clearly identify bounded inclusions in an otherwise infinite, homogeneous medium