Birefringence as a proxy for viscoelastic properties of cartilage using polarisation sensitive optical coherence tomography

Non-invasive identification, understanding and evaluation of articular cartilage damage is paramount for osteoarthritis researcher and clinician alike. Using polarisation sensitive optical coherence tomography together with impact and creep load, we use a range of metrics including birefringence to detect early signs of cartilage degeneration and gain new insights into the physiology of joint tissues