Tissue remodeling after ischemic stroke influences brain biomechanics and can be captured with MR Elastography

Motivation: Tissue regeneration and reorganization following ischemic stroke are of clinical interest, but are not fully assessable with routinely used imaging techniques. Goal(s): Determine if post-ischemic brain tissue changes alter brain biomechanics rendering the quantifiable with MR Elastography. Approach: The MCAO stroke model in C57BL/6 mice was used to longitudinally measure biomechanical properties of infarcted and healthy brain tissue. Imaging metrics were compared to histopathology. Results: Tissue stiffness and phase angle dynamically changed. This was presumably caused by combined kinetics of tissue degradation and reorganization. Impact: MR Elastography reveals dynamic biomechanical changes of infarcted and normal appearing brain tissue following transient ischemia. Thus, MRE can support the characterization of post-ischemic tissue reorganization, providing information occult to clinically established imaging techniques.