Magnetic Resonance Elastography Based Measure of Compressibility in Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus and Alzheimer’s Disease

Motivation: Magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) is typically used to assess shear mechanical properties of a tissue. A new measure related to the compressibility of a tissue could provide new insights into disease processes. Goal(s): To test a new measure related to the tissue compressibility in application to neurological disorders. Approach: A measure of compressibility was defined as the ratio of the magnitude of the divergence over the magnitude of the curl of displacements. Results: Normal pressure hydrocephalus and Alzheimer’s disease displayed distinct patterns of compressibility measure compared to the control group. Impact: An MRE-based compressibility measure demonstrates unique patterns in normal pressure hydrocephalus and Alzheimer’s disease. This may provide new insights into disease processes and guides future research.