Tumor Stiffness Dependency on Tissue Viability as Measured Using MR Elastography (MRE)

Kay Pelletier¹, Jun Chen¹, Kevin J. Glaser¹, Stephen Ansell¹, Richard L. Ehman¹, Kiaran P. McGee¹

Change in tumor mechanical properties may be an early indication of therapeutic response. Previous studies demonstrated a measurable change in tumor stiffness following chemotherapy treatment. We propose that MRE can be used to determine sub lethal dose response and overall tumor viability. Following a sub-lethal dose of chemotherapy, tumor stiffness initially decreases and subsequently increases with tumor recovery and growth. Stiffness is also dependent on viability of the host, as the stiffness increased significantly within 1 hour post-mortem.