| Elastography is a non-invasive medical imaging | | | | increases the specificity of ultrasound by |
| technology which ultilises the principle of the | | | | differentiating benign and breast tumors. Benign |
| difference in the mechanical property of elasticity | | | | tumors reduce their size on mechanical |
| between normal and abnormal tissues in an organ. | | | | compression while malignant tumors being stiff |
| Basic Principle of Elastography | | | | stays the same size or a bit larger. Thus it |
| The term elasticity refers to the physical | | | | reduces the number of needle biopsies. |
| property of the tissue to change shape when a | | | | 3. Detection of dermatological malignancies. |
| mechanical force is applied and to regain the | | | | 4. Can be used with endoscopic ultrasound for- |
| original shape when the force is withdrawn. The | | | | differentiating between benign and malignant |
| imaging technique is based on the basic principle | | | | lymph nodes, targeting suspicious lymph nodes for |
| that there is difference in the elastic properties in | | | | fine needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy from multiple |
| between different tissues (for example muscle is | | | | lymphadenopathy, differentiating suspicious |
| stiffer than fat) and also elasticity can change | | | | pancreatic masses and taking biopsy. |
| with disease (for example tumor tissue is stiffer | | | | 5. Accurately locate prostate tumor foci, |
| than normal tissue and hence a more | | | | determine extent and take targeted biopsies. |
| compressible lesion is mostly not malignant). | | | | 6. Studies have shown that it is a potential |
| Ultrasound elastography | | | | adjunctive tool in identifying thyroid cancer |
| Most often, it is combined with ultrasonography. | | | | especially in cytologically indeterminate nodules. |
| First a conventional ultrasonogram is taken during | | | | 7. Cardiological applications are also under review |
| which the transmit high frequency sound waves | | | | especially regarding functioning of the cardiac |
| through the transducer, which hits the tissue to | | | | muscles. |
| be imaged and the image is produced based on | | | | 8. Identification of musculoskeletal masses. |
| the reflected sound waves or echos from the | | | | CT and MR Elastography |
| tissue. After this, an external mechanical | | | | Using elastography in advanced imaging |
| compressive force is exerted over the tissue to | | | | technologies like magnetic resonance imaging |
| be imaged to produce strain and the imaging of | | | | (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) is also |
| tissue is done under this strain. The image | | | | studied. Researchers has already found that MRE |
| produced is called an elastogram. | | | | can be used in diagnosing various liver pathologies |
| Applications of Ultrasound Elastography | | | | like fibrosis, cirhosis, portal hypertension, tumors |
| 1. Detection of breast tumors: Can be used as | | | | etc. It can also be used to image the kidney, |
| next-line imaging technique when mammography | | | | spleen, stomach, bowel etc. Lung strain images |
| detects a suspicious lesion. | | | | using CT elastography is used in diagnosing |
| 2. Distinguish benign and malignant breast lesions: It | | | | pulmonary nodules. |