Nanobomb-assisted layer-specific optical coherence elastography

Abstract

Liquid to gas phase transition of dye-loaded PFC nanodroplets (nanobombs, NBs) can be facilitated by the optical absorption of energy of laser pulse. Activation of NBs with laser pulse can produce highly localized longitudinal shear waves (LSW). The advent of LSW elastography has enhanced the ability to measure depth-dependent tissue elasticity. Highly localized NB-induced LSWs propagate through the tissue depth and can discriminate the tissue elasticity gradients along the depth. In this study, we explore the capability of the NB-induced LSWs in discriminating the elasticity properties of multilayered tissue-mimicking phantoms. The NB present in the middle layer of the test phantoms produced LSWs upon the pulse laser excitation, which can provide elasticity information in the sample depth where the NBs are located and the elasticity of layers of the sample on top and bottom of the NB layer.