ABSTRACT
Biological materials exhibit nonlinear, heterogeneous, viscoelastic, and multiscale material properties, which are important to determine in situ or in vivo. Quantifying properties of tissues within complex systems of the body requires the noninvasive measurement of nite displacements and strains in conjunction with computational models of tissue mechanics. One of the most promising imaging methods for such a task is the use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Combining MRI-based methods with numerical approximations of the tissue deformations can enable the use of noncontact and patient-specic modeling in a manner not currently possible with traditional mechanical testing or nite element techniques. Herein, we describe the application of these models to articular cartilage and the intervertebral disc.
