In vivo estimation of optic nerve sheath stiffness using noninvasive MRI measurements and finite element modeling.

In vivo estimation of optic nerve sheath stiffness using noninvasive MRI measurements and finite element modeling. J Mech Behav Biomed Mater. 2020 Oct;110:103924 Authors: Lee C, Rohr J, Sass A, Sater S, Zahid A, Macias B, Stenger MB, Samuels BC, Martin BA, Oshinski JN, Ethier CR Abstract The optic nerve sheath (ONS) is biomechanically important. It is acted on by tension due to ocular movements, and by fluid shifts and/or alterations in intracranial pressure (ICP) in human disease, specifically in pathologies leading to intracranial hypertension. It has also been hypothesized that the ONS is acted on by altered ICP in astronauts exposed chronically to microgravity. However, a non-invasive method to quantify ONS biomechanical properties is not presently available; knowledge of such properties is desirable to allow characterization of the biomechanical forces exerted on the optic nerve head and other ocular structures due to the ONS. Thus, the primary objective of this study was to characterize the biomechanical properties (stiffness) of the human ONS in vivo as a necessary step towards investigating the role of ICP in various conditions, including Spaceflight Associated Neuro-ocular Syndrome (SANS). We acquired non-invasive magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of ostensibly healthy subjects (n = 18, age = 30.4 ± 11.6 [mean ± SD] years) during supine and 15-degree head-down-tilt (HDT) postures, and extracted ONS contours fr...
Source: Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Biomedical Materials - Category: Materials Science Authors: Tags: J Mech Behav Biomed Mater Source Type: research