Abstract #2384

High Field MR-Elastography of TBI Model

Thomas Boulet¹, Matthew L. Kelso², Shadi F. Othman³

¹Engineering Mechanics, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, United States; ²Pharmacy Practice, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, United States; ³Biological Systems Engineering, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, United States

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major cause of death and disability worldwide. Mechanical properties of the brain are expected to change due to biological processes triggered by the injury. By combining TBI models with microscopic magnetic resonance elastography (MRE), it is possible to estimate viscoelastic properties in different brain regions. In this study, mechanical and MR properties are evaluated at several time-points following injury. The shear viscosity in the hippocampus, a region responsible for learning and memory, was found to be higher in the injured hemisphere compared to the healthy one which may be related to injury-induced cognitive deficits.