My research focuses on high-resolution morphological and quantitative biochemical MRI techniques and their applicability in the assessment of early tissue degeneration in musculoskeletal structures.
High resolution morphological (micro)imaging helps us to get more detailed insights in, and information out of complex ultrastructure from tendons, cartilage and peripheral nerves, which are difficult to visualize with standard clinical imaging systems.
By using different biochemical nuclear magnetic resonance imaging techniques and sophisticated post-processing methods, we are able to quantify texture components such as water, proteins, sugars and even ions to further directly derive a model of properties of tissue architecture and homeostasis.
With this quantification and by observation of consistency patterns, an early detection of pathological changes - before they are visible on morphological images – seems to be possible, and further crucial to face the process of early pathological degeneration with adequate therapy concepts within therapy strategic more favorable time points