A unilateral magnetic resonance imaging (“MRI”) device (100), capable of performing magnetic resonance elastography (“MRE”) is disclosed. The unilateral MRI device includes a magnet assembly (110) that produces a static, polarizing magnetic field extending longitudinally outward from a pole face of the magnet, substantially homogeneous in a transverse plane in the near-field, and varying quasi-linearly along the longitudinal direction away from the pole face. An imaging assembly is fastened over the pole face of the magnet assembly and includes a radiofrequency (“RF”) coil (202) and a magnetic field gradient (206, 208, 210) coil that produces a magnetic field gradient in the near-field along a gradient axis. The unilateral MRI device may also include a motion source (212) to impart a vibratory motion to a subject for performing an MRE process.
