MR Elastography as a Method for the Assessment of Myocardial Stiffness Throughout the Cardiac Cycle

Arunark Kolipaka¹, Kiaran P. McGee¹, Philip A. Araoz¹, Armando Manduca¹, Richard L. Ehman¹

A new MR elastography (MRE) cine sequence capable of spatially resolving the shear modulus of objects undergoing cyclic deformation was evaluated in an in vivo porcine model. Shear stiffness estimates of the myocardium throughout the cardiac cycle were calculated and indicate that myocardial stiffness is higher during systole than in diastole and the stiffness changes can be correlated with traditional pressure-volume analysis of cardiac function.