Effects of compressive lesions on intraoperative human spinal cord elasticity.

Objective: Although evaluating tissue elasticity has various clinical applications, spinal cord elasticity (SCE) in humans has never been well documented. In this study, the authors aimed to evaluate the impact of compression on human SCE in vivo.

Methods: The authors prospectively assessed SCE using intraoperative shear wave elastography (SWE).

Shear wave elastography for intracranial epidermoid tumors.

Background: Ultrasound elastography (USE) is a novel technique that assesses the mechanical properties of body tissues in real time. Based on elasticity measurements, USE enables the differentiation of tumor tissue from surrounding normal tissue.

Objectives: We aimed to evaluate an intraoperative SWE technique for differentiating tumor tissue (epidermoid cyst) from the surrounding normal brain tissue based on elastic properties.