An approach for needle based optical coherence elastography measurements

Abstract

While navigation and interventional guidance are typically based on image data, the images do not necessarily reflect mechanical tissue properties. Optical coherence elastography (OCE) presents a modality with high sensitivity and very high spatial and temporal resolution. However, OCE has a limited field of view of only 2–5 mm depth. We present a side-facing needle probe to image externally induced shear waves from within soft tissue. A first method of quantitative needle-based OCE is provided. Using a time of flight setup, we establish the shear wave velocity and estimate the tissue elasticity. For comparison, an external scan head is used for imaging. Results for four different phantoms indicate a good agreement between the shear wave velocities estimated from the needle probe at different depths and the scan head. The velocities ranging from 0.9–3.4 m/s agree with the expected values, illustrating that tissue elasticity estimates from within needle probes are feasible.