A system and method for producing an image of a functional tissue slip interface using MRI. The method includes applying an external stimulus to a subject to impart relative shearing motion at a tissue interface. NMR signals are then acquired from a ROI including the slip interface using a motion encoding gradient to sensitize the acquired NMR signals to the shearing motion. MR images indicative of the degree of mechanical shear connectivity at the tissue interface are reconstructed from the acquired NMR signals in which low-friction shearing motion at the tissue interface is characterized by a loss of magnitude signal due to intravoxel phase dispersion.
