Acoustic modulation and photon–phonon scattering in optical coherence tomography

Acousto-optic interactions allow the measurement of nonoptical material properties with high-resolution optical methods. We modulated a sample with ultrasound while simultaneously imaging with a traditional optical coherence tomography (OCT) system. The measured acousto-optic signal then depends on the mechanical response of the tissue to the applied modulation. The acquired acoustically enhanced OCT signals are consistent with established acousto-optic theory and provide enhanced contrast to OCT images.