Open AccessSimultaneous tractography and elastography imaging of the zone-specific structural and mechanical responses in articular cartilage under compressive loading
Author(s) -
Mohammadreza Ravanfar,
Gang Yao
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
biomedical optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.362
H-Index - 86
ISSN - 2156-7085
DOI - 10.1364/boe.10.003241
Subject(s) - materials science , cartilage , elastography , biomedical engineering , articular cartilage , compression (physics) , birefringence , compressive strength , elastic modulus , anatomy , osteoarthritis , composite material , optics , medicine , ultrasound , radiology , pathology , alternative medicine , physics
We quantified the precise zonal cartilage structural and mechanical responses to unconfined compressive loading by using simultaneous PSOCT based optical tractography and elastography imaging. Twelve bovine knee articular cartilage samples from six animals were imaged under bulk compression from 4% to 20%. The results revealed strong evidence that the conventional radial zone could be divided into two sub-zones with distinct mechanical properties. The "upper" part of the radial zone played a critical role in "absorbing" the mechanical compression. The study also showed that the zonal fiber organization greatly affected the cartilage structural and mechanical responses. A strong correlation was observed between the optical birefringence and logarithm of the Young's modulus. These new results provide useful information for improving mechanical modeling of articular cartilage and developing better cartilage-mimetic biomaterials.