Phase-sensitive imaging of tissue acoustic vibrations using spectrally encoded interferometry

Acoustic vibrations in tissue are often difficult to image, requiring high-speed scanning, high sensitivity and nanometer-scale axial resolution. Here we use spectrally encoded interferometry to measure the vibration pattern of two-dimensional surfaces, including the skin of a volunteer, at nanometric resolution, without the need for rapid lateral scanning and with no prior knowledge of the driving acoustic waveform. Our results demonstrate the feasibility of this technique for measuring tissue biomechanics using simple and compact imaging probes.