Citation

Namani R, Bayly PV. Conf. Proc. IEEE Eng. Med. Biol. Soc. 2009; 1: 1117-1122.

Affiliation

Washington University, Mechanical, Aerospace, and Structural Engineering, Box 1185, 1 Brookings Drive, St. Louis, Missouri 63130.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2009, IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers))

DOI

10.1109/IEMBS.2009.5333418

PMID

19963987

Abstract

The propagation of shear waves in soft tissue can be visualized by magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) to characterize tissue mechanical properties. Dynamic deformation of brain tissue arising from shear wave propagation may underlie the pathology of blast-induced traumatic brain injury. White matter in the brain, like other biological materials, exhibits a transversely isotropic structure, due to the arrangement of parallel fibers. Appropriate mathematical models and well-characterized experimental systems are needed to understand wave propagation in these structures. In this paper we review the theory behind waves in anisotropic, soft materials, including small-amplitude waves superimposed on finite deformation of a nonlinear hyperelastic material. Some predictions of this theory are confirmed in experimental studies of a soft material with controlled anisotropy: magnetically-aligned fibrin gel.

Language: en