Emerging Approaches for High-Resolution Imaging of Tissue Biomechanics With Optical Coherence Elastography

Optical coherence elastography (OCE) is an emerging method to image the mechanical properties of tissue in 3D, with spatial resolution approaching the micrometer-scale. By offering the ability to connect between the cellular and bulk tissue levels, OCE has the potential to enable biomechanics-based clinical diagnostics and in vivo biomechanics investigations over a new spatial scale. We review the emerging approaches in OCE, emphasizing commonalities with ultrasound elastography and a fundamental connection to the emerging field of Mechanobiology. The concept of a forward and inverse problem is applied to image formation in OCE, and more broadly, to describe overall efforts in the field. We also discuss the potential impact that OCE holds for clinical and biological applications, and highlight future directions for the field, including opportunities for cross-modality and interdisciplinary interactions.