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Updated: Aug 10, 2026
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Quantifying Elastic Properties of Environmental Biofilms using Optical Coherence Elastography
Published on: March 1, 2024
Phantoms for use in optical coherence elastography
Farzan Navaeipour1,2, Jiayue Li1,2, Shima Zamani1,2
1BRITElab, Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, QEII Medical Centre Nedlands and Centre for Medical Research, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia.
Journal of Biomedical Optics
|August 9, 2026
Summary
This study establishes a framework for optical coherence elastography (OCE) phantoms. Silicone, agar, and gelatin phantoms were evaluated, providing guidance for material selection and fabrication to improve OCE technique standardization and comparison.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Imaging
- Tissue Mechanics
- Biomaterials
Background:
- Optical coherence elastography (OCE) maps tissue mechanical properties.
- Standardized phantoms are crucial for OCE performance assessment.
- Lack of consensus on OCE phantom materials hinders reproducibility.
Purpose of the Study:
- Establish a unified framework for OCE phantom selection, fabrication, and characterization.
- Evaluate mechanical, optical, and structural properties of silicone, agar, and gelatin.
- Provide guidance for developing reliable OCE phantoms.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of 223 OCE phantom studies (1998-2025).
- Experimental characterization of elasticity, viscoelasticity, and optical attenuation.
- Fabrication and evaluation of inclusion and surface roughness phantoms using quantitative micro-elastography (QME).
Main Results:
- Elastic moduli ranged from 3.5 kPa (gelatin) to 229.1 kPa (agar).
- Distinct viscoelastic signatures were observed, with relaxation times from ~2s (silicone) to >1600s (gelatin).
- Optical attenuation was independently tunable; fabrication artifacts and surface topography impacted QME measurements.
Conclusions:
- Silicone is suitable for elastic phantoms, agar for broad-range viscoelastic phantoms, and gelatin for soft, highly viscoelastic phantoms.
- The study provides a framework for OCE phantom development and standardization.
- Results facilitate improved analysis, validation, and comparison of OCE techniques.
