Quantitative Evaluation of Biomechanical Properties of the Tongue Using a Shaker-Based Optical Coherence Elastography System
Yubao Zhang,
Jiahui Luo,
Xiao Han,
Gang Shi,
Qin Zhang,
Xingdao He
Affiliations
Yubao Zhang
Key Laboratory of Opto-Electronic Information Science and Technology of Jiangxi Province and Jiangxi Engineering Laboratory for Optoelectronics Testing Technology, Nanchang Hangkong University, Nanchang 330063, China
Jiahui Luo
Key Laboratory of Opto-Electronic Information Science and Technology of Jiangxi Province and Jiangxi Engineering Laboratory for Optoelectronics Testing Technology, Nanchang Hangkong University, Nanchang 330063, China
Xiao Han
Key Laboratory of Opto-Electronic Information Science and Technology of Jiangxi Province and Jiangxi Engineering Laboratory for Optoelectronics Testing Technology, Nanchang Hangkong University, Nanchang 330063, China
Gang Shi
Key Laboratory of Opto-Electronic Information Science and Technology of Jiangxi Province and Jiangxi Engineering Laboratory for Optoelectronics Testing Technology, Nanchang Hangkong University, Nanchang 330063, China
Qin Zhang
Key Laboratory of Opto-Electronic Information Science and Technology of Jiangxi Province and Jiangxi Engineering Laboratory for Optoelectronics Testing Technology, Nanchang Hangkong University, Nanchang 330063, China
Xingdao He
Key Laboratory of Opto-Electronic Information Science and Technology of Jiangxi Province and Jiangxi Engineering Laboratory for Optoelectronics Testing Technology, Nanchang Hangkong University, Nanchang 330063, China
Biomechanical properties of the tongue play a significant role in maintaining its normal physiological state. Although some techniques have been used to evaluate the tongue’s elasticity, they are limited in clinical detection because of low-resolution and invasive injuries. Here, a shaker-based optical coherence elastography technique that possesses features of high resolution, high sensitivity, and non-destructive imaging was designed and applied to the elastic detection of the tongue for the first time. Repeated experiments were conducted on the in vivo beagle tongue whose shear modulus and Young’s modulus were quantified by visualization of the shear wave propagation, which indicates that our technique is reliable and operable, and may be potentially utilized in clinical fields with further refinement.