Studying slow-deformation phenomena in cartilaginous samples using Optical Coherence Elastography

Monitoring of slow deformations in cartilage may be used to characterize a broad variety of dynamic interstitial processes, including fluid flow, mechanical stress accumulation and relaxation and pore formation, caused by external forces, such as mechanical load, laser irradiation, tissue drying and impregnation with drug solutions or clearing agents. Here we present the capabilities of strain mapping based on analysis of complex-valued OCT signal for real-time visualization slow processes in cartilage modified by laser radiation or immersion agent application. The developed OCE-based continuous strain mapping provides a deeper insight in tissue mechanics and opens new prospect for designing medical control systems.