Estimation of the Anisotropy of Electric Conductivity Via B1 Mapping

Ulrich Katscher¹, Tobias Voigt², Christian Findeklee¹

Electric conductivity might be used as diagnostic information due to its ability to reflect the grade of tissue damage. In general, the conductivity is given by a tensor including anisotropic cases of conductivity, as can be found in vivo in tissue with preferred cell direction like muscles or nerves. Measuring conductivity, characterizing the underlying cell structure, might increase diagnostic information. The recently presented Electric Properties Tomography (EPT) is able to determine tissue conductivity in vivo by post-processing B1 maps. This study demonstrates the ability of EPT to estimate also the anisotropy of the conductivity using an electrically anisotropic phantom.