Shear Wave MR Elastography of the Orbit: Preliminary Findings

Magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) can provide insight into the biomechanical properties of tissues. Yet, there is a lack of widespread utilization of MRE for evaluation of the head and neck region, particularly the orbit. This article describes the preliminary MRE findings for imaging of the orbit in healthy human subjects and evaluates its feasibility and technical considerations. Two healthy volunteers were recruited for participation. A standard liver driver was positioned over the forehead of the volunteer, after which a 3T scanner was used to obtain MRE images of the orbit at 8 and 20 kPa. Resulting image quality and strain patterns were assessed. Basic viscoelastic information was visualized on orbit elastograms obtained at both 8 and 20 kPa, with both image sets displaying increased strain in the posterior globes. Image quality appeared better at 8 kPa than at 20 kPa. While the development of specialized devices and techniques requires further investigation to optimize image quality, MRE is feasible for effectively visualizing viscoelastic properties of intra- and periorbital tissues.