Optical techniques can assess the heterogeneity and structural layers of biomaterial and implants. Such assessment can assist engineering of tissue patches and implants by assessing implant structure, monitoring the implant fabrication process, controlling the machining of the implant, and monitoring in vivo the body's host response to the implant. Optical scattering can quantify the granularity of a biomaterial on the scale of 0.1 - 10 micrometer. Optical coherence tomography can map heterogeneity on the scale of 2 - 20 micrometer. Optoacoustic imaging can image absorbing heterogeneities on the scale of 20 micrometer - 10 mm (or more). Diffusion optical tomography can image absorbing and scattering heterogeneities on the scale of 5 mm - 5 cm (or more). The opportunities for optical techniques in preparing biomaterials and implants are discussed.

Date Published: 13 June 2000
PDF: 5 pages
Proc. SPIE 3914, Laser-Tissue Interaction XI: Photochemical, Photothermal, and Photomechanical, (13 June 2000); doi: 10.1117/12.388080

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 3914:
Laser-Tissue Interaction XI: Photochemical, Photothermal, and Photomechanical
Jeffrey O. Hollinger D.D.S.; Donald Dean Duncan; Jeffrey O. Hollinger D.D.S.; Donald Dean Duncan; Steven L. Jacques, Editor(s)