Multiscale Elastography for Characterization of Pathologic Extracellular Matrix Changes (A01)

• Subject Area: Nuclear Medicine, Radiotherapy, Radiobiology
• Term: since 2018
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 372486779

Multifrequency magnetic resonance elastography (mMRE) measures the dispersion of viscoelasticity in soft tissues and is thus sensitive to extracellular matrix (ECM) and cellular micromechanical interactions. This project will develop a dispersion-sensitive multiscale mMRE with wideband frequency coverage to detect and quantify changes in ECM both in the early stages of inflammation and during therapy. The key objectives of this project are: (i) establishing ultra-low frequency mMRE including trained wave image analysis, (ii) establishing micro-mMRE for tissue samples and 3D organ models, and (iii) assessing tissue fluidity changes due to disease-induced ECM changes using viscoelastic dispersion analysis based on trained neural networks. To this end, we propose learned noise reduction and analysis of shear waves based on physical models integrated into neural networks for forward wave simulations with realistic boundary conditions across the full spectrum of frequencies and resolutions in mMRE.

• DFG Programme: Collaborative Research Centres
• Subproject of: SFB 1340: In vivo Visualization of Extracellular Matrix Pathology „Matrix in Vision“
• Applicant Institution: shared FU Berlin and HU Berlin through:; Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin
• Project Heads: Privatdozent Dr. Jürgen Braun, until 6/2022; Professorin Dr.-Ing. Anja Hennemuth, since 7/2022; Professor Dr. Ingolf Sack