Image Acquisition and Reconstruction for MR Elastography

Abstract:

Mechanical properties are sensitive markers of tissue structure, function, and health. We can measure these properties in vivo using magnetic resonance elastography (MRE), a shear wave imaging technique that produces maps of tissue viscoelasticity noninvasively. MRE of the brain has shown a sensitivity to neurodegeneration; however, a number of technical limitations challenge the reliability of MRE measurements in specific neuroanatomical regions and in different populations. In this talk I will discuss the work of my group in next generation MRE image acquisition and reconstruction techniques to improve imaging resolution and speed to improve our ability to map these mechanical properties in the brain.  

Bio:

Curtis L Johnson, PhD, is an Associate Professor and Associate Chair in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Delaware. He received his PhD in Mechanical Engineering in 2013 from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. His research group develops and uses magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) to measure the integrity of the human brain through tissue mechanical properties. Dr. Johnson uses these methods to understand the structure, function, and health of the brain in different populations. He has received several awards including the Early Career Researcher Award from the Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Biomedical Materials and the Gerard Mangone Young Scholar Award from the University of Delaware.