Confocal air-coupled ultrasonic optical coherence elastography probe for quantitative biomechanics

Opt Lett. 2020 Dec 1;45(23):6567-6570. doi: 10.1364/OL.410593.

Abstract

We present an air-coupled ultrasonic radiation force probe co-focused with a phase-sensitive optical coherence tomography (OCT) system for quantitative wave-based elastography. A custom-made 1 MHz spherically focused piezoelectric transducer with a concentric 10 mm wide circular opening allowed for confocal micro-excitation of waves and phase-sensitive OCT imaging. Phantom studies demonstrated the capabilities of this probe to produce quasi-harmonic excitation up to 4 kHz for generation of elastic waves. Experimental results in ocular tissues showed highly detailed 2D and 3D elasticity mapping using this approach with great potential for clinical translation.

MeSH terms

  • Air*
  • Biomechanical Phenomena
  • Mechanical Phenomena*
  • Tomography, Optical Coherence / methods*
  • Ultrasonic Waves*