We developed a quantitative optical coherence elastography (qOCE) system for nonlinear mechanical characterization of biological tissues. The fiber-optic probe of the qOCE system had an integrated Fabry-Perot force sensor. To perform mechanical characterization, the tissue was compressed uniaxially by the fiber-optic probe of the qOCE system. Using the optical coherence tomography (OCT) signal detected by a spectral domain OCT engine, we were able to simultaneously quantify the force exerted to the tissue and the displacement of tissue. The quantification of the force was critical for accurate assessment of the elastic behavior of tissue, because most biological tissues have nonlinear elastic behavior. We performed qOCE characterization on tissue mimicking phantoms and biological tissues. Our results demonstrated the capability of the qOCE system for linear and nonlinear assessment of tissue elasticity.
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