Elastography: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 01:33, 7 March 2025

Medical imaging technique to map tissue stiffness

Elastography is a medical imaging modality that maps the elastic properties and stiffness of soft tissue. It is used to detect and characterize various diseases, particularly those that alter the mechanical properties of tissues, such as cancer and fibrosis.

Principles of Elastography[edit]

Elastography is based on the principle that pathological changes in tissue often result in changes in its mechanical properties. For instance, cancerous tissues are generally stiffer than normal tissues. Elastography techniques measure the response of tissue to an applied force, which can be mechanical, acoustic, or electromagnetic, and then calculate the tissue's stiffness or elasticity.

Techniques of Elastography[edit]

There are several techniques used in elastography, each with its own advantages and applications:

Ultrasound Elastography[edit]

Ultrasound elastography uses sound waves to measure tissue stiffness. It includes methods such as:

Strain Elastography: This technique involves applying a mechanical compression to the tissue and measuring the resulting strain. It is often used in breast and thyroid imaging.

Shear Wave Elastography: This method generates shear waves within the tissue using focused ultrasound beams. The speed of these waves is measured to determine tissue stiffness. It is commonly used in liver and musculoskeletal imaging.

Magnetic Resonance Elastography (MRE)[edit]

Magnetic resonance elastography uses MRI to visualize the propagation of mechanical waves through tissues. It is particularly useful for imaging the liver and brain.

Transient Elastography[edit]

Transient elastography is a non-invasive method that uses a mechanical impulse to generate shear waves in the liver. It is widely used for assessing liver fibrosis.

Applications of Elastography[edit]

Elastography is used in various clinical applications, including:

Breast Imaging[edit]

Elastography is used to differentiate between benign and malignant breast lesions. Malignant tumors tend to be stiffer than benign ones.

Liver Fibrosis Assessment[edit]

Elastography is a key tool in assessing liver fibrosis, providing a non-invasive alternative to liver biopsy.

Thyroid Nodule Evaluation[edit]

Elastography helps in evaluating thyroid nodules, distinguishing between benign and malignant nodules based on stiffness.

Musculoskeletal Imaging[edit]

Elastography is used to assess muscle stiffness and detect abnormalities in musculoskeletal tissues.

Advantages and Limitations[edit]

Elastography offers several advantages, including being non-invasive, providing quantitative data, and enhancing the diagnostic accuracy of conventional imaging techniques. However, it also has limitations, such as operator dependency and variability in results due to different equipment and techniques.

Related Pages[edit]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{Short description|Medical imaging technique to map tissue stiffness}}
-'''Elastography''' is a medical imaging modality that maps the elastic properties and stiffness of soft tissue. It is used to detect and characterize various diseases, particularly those that alter the mechanical properties of tissues, such as [[cancer]] and [[fibrosis]].
+'''Elastography''' is a [[medical imaging]] modality that maps the elastic properties and stiffness of soft tissue. It is used to detect and characterize various diseases, particularly those that alter the mechanical properties of tissues, such as [[cancer]] and [[fibrosis]].
 ==Principles of Elastography==
-Elastography is based on the principle that pathological tissues often have different mechanical properties compared to normal tissues. By applying a mechanical force to the tissue and measuring the resulting displacement, elastography can provide a visual map of tissue stiffness.
+Elastography is based on the principle that pathological changes in tissue often result in changes in its mechanical properties. For instance, cancerous tissues are generally stiffer than normal tissues. Elastography techniques measure the response of tissue to an applied force, which can be mechanical, acoustic, or electromagnetic, and then calculate the tissue's stiffness or elasticity.
-===Types of Elastography===
+==Techniques of Elastography==
-There are several types of elastography, each utilizing different techniques to measure tissue stiffness:
+There are several techniques used in elastography, each with its own advantages and applications:
-* '''Strain Elastography''': This method involves applying a manual or mechanical compression to the tissue and measuring the resulting strain. It is often used in breast and thyroid imaging.
+===Ultrasound Elastography===
+[[Ultrasound elastography]] uses sound waves to measure tissue stiffness. It includes methods such as:
-* '''Shear Wave Elastography''': This technique uses focused ultrasound to generate shear waves within the tissue. The speed of these waves is measured to determine tissue stiffness. It is commonly used in liver and musculoskeletal imaging.
+* '''Strain Elastography''': This technique involves applying a mechanical compression to the tissue and measuring the resulting strain. It is often used in breast and thyroid imaging.
-* '''Magnetic Resonance Elastography (MRE)''': MRE uses [[magnetic resonance imaging]] to visualize the propagation of mechanical waves through tissues, providing a quantitative measure of tissue stiffness.
+* '''Shear Wave Elastography''': This method generates shear waves within the tissue using focused ultrasound beams. The speed of these waves is measured to determine tissue stiffness. It is commonly used in liver and musculoskeletal imaging.
+[[File:Thyroid_SSI_Szczepanek-Parulska_et_al._2013_papillary_thyroid_carcinoma_elastography.png|thumb|right|Elastography of papillary thyroid carcinoma.]]
+===Magnetic Resonance Elastography (MRE)===
+[[Magnetic resonance elastography]] uses [[MRI]] to visualize the propagation of mechanical waves through tissues. It is particularly useful for imaging the liver and brain.
+===Transient Elastography===
+[[Transient elastography]] is a non-invasive method that uses a mechanical impulse to generate shear waves in the liver. It is widely used for assessing liver fibrosis.
+[[File:VCTE,_normal_and_cirrhotic_livers.tif|thumb|left|Comparison of normal and cirrhotic livers using transient elastography.]]
 ==Applications of Elastography==
@@ Line 19: / Line 30: @@
 ===Breast Imaging===
-[[File:Breast_self-exam_illustration_(series_of_6)_(3).jpg|Breast self-exam illustration|thumb|right]]
+Elastography is used to differentiate between benign and malignant breast lesions. Malignant tumors tend to be stiffer than benign ones.
-Elastography is used to differentiate between benign and malignant breast lesions. Malignant tumors tend to be stiffer than benign ones, making elastography a valuable tool in breast cancer diagnosis.
+[[File:Breast_self-exam_illustration_(series_of_6)_(3).jpg|thumb|right|Illustration of breast self-exam, a complementary practice to elastography in breast cancer detection.]]
-===Thyroid Imaging===
+===Liver Fibrosis Assessment===
-[[File:Thyroid_SSI_Szczepanek-Parulska_et_al._2013_papillary_thyroid_carcinoma_elastography.png|Thyroid elastography showing papillary thyroid carcinoma|thumb|left]]
+Elastography is a key tool in assessing liver fibrosis, providing a non-invasive alternative to liver biopsy.
-In thyroid imaging, elastography helps in assessing thyroid nodules. Stiffer nodules are more likely to be malignant, aiding in the decision-making process for biopsy.
-===Liver Imaging===
+===Thyroid Nodule Evaluation===
-[[File:VCTE,_normal_and_cirrhotic_livers.tif|VCTE showing normal and cirrhotic livers|thumb|right]]
+Elastography helps in evaluating thyroid nodules, distinguishing between benign and malignant nodules based on stiffness.
-Elastography is widely used to assess liver fibrosis. It provides a non-invasive alternative to liver biopsy for evaluating the degree of fibrosis in patients with chronic liver disease.
-===Prostate Imaging===
+[[File:Bojunga_et_al._2012_ARFI_papillary_thyroid_carcinoma.png|thumb|left|ARFI elastography of papillary thyroid carcinoma.]]
-[[File:Prostate-with-histology-01.gif|Prostate elastography with histology|thumb|left]]
-Elastography can be used to detect prostate cancer by identifying areas of increased stiffness within the prostate gland.
 ===Musculoskeletal Imaging===
-[[File:Killian_Bouillard,_Nordez_A,_Hug_F_(2011)_supersonic_shear_imaging_of_hand_muscle_stiffness.tif|Supersonic shear imaging of hand muscle stiffness|thumb|right]]
+Elastography is used to assess muscle stiffness and detect abnormalities in musculoskeletal tissues.
-In musculoskeletal applications, elastography assesses muscle stiffness and can help diagnose conditions such as tendinopathy and muscle tears.
-===Brain Imaging===
+[[File:Killian_Bouillard,_Nordez_A,_Hug_F_(2011)_supersonic_shear_imaging_of_hand_muscle_stiffness.tif|thumb|right|Supersonic shear imaging of hand muscle stiffness.]]
-[[File:Murphy_2013_brain_MRE_reduced.png|Brain MRE showing mechanical properties|thumb|left]]
-MRE is used to study the mechanical properties of brain tissue, which can be altered in conditions such as [[Alzheimer's disease]] and [[multiple sclerosis]].
 ==Advantages and Limitations==
-Elastography offers several advantages, including being non-invasive, providing real-time results, and enhancing the diagnostic accuracy of conventional imaging techniques. However, it also has limitations, such as operator dependency and variability in results depending on the technique used.
+Elastography offers several advantages, including being non-invasive, providing quantitative data, and enhancing the diagnostic accuracy of conventional imaging techniques. However, it also has limitations, such as operator dependency and variability in results due to different equipment and techniques.
 ==Related Pages==
-* [[Ultrasound]]
+* [[Ultrasound imaging]]
 * [[Magnetic resonance imaging]]
-* [[Cancer diagnosis]]
+* [[Liver biopsy]]
-* [[Liver disease]]
+* [[Breast cancer]]
 [[Category:Medical imaging]]
 [[Category:Ultrasound]]
-[[Category:Radiology]]
+[[Category:Magnetic resonance imaging]]