title: Acousto-optic Bragg imaging of biological tissue.
abstract: Acousto-optic Bragg imaging is a technique that uses the interaction of light with ultrasound to optically image obstructions in acoustical fields. Existing reports of acousto-optic Bragg imaging based on transmission of acoustic fields through obstructions exhibit strong acoustic impedance mismatches manifested by poor image quality and missing details of physical structures of obstructions. In this work, the image quality was improved to exhibit detailed physical structures of an object by using an improved Bragg imaging system described in Sec. III below. This paper investigates the possibility of extending an acoustic Bragg imaging technique in transmission mode to image animal or plant tissues; a small azalea leaf is used as an illustration in this case. The Bragg image produced clearly shows the veins of the vascular azalea leaf serving as a proof of concept for cost-effective potential application of acoustic Bragg imaging of biological objects in the medical field. Moreover, acousto-optic Bragg imaging is potentially harmless to biological cells and is sensitive to density and elastic variations in the tissue.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics & Astronomy, College of Charleston, 101 R. Hollings Science Center, 58 Coming Street, Charleston, South Carolina 29424.
authors.forename: Alem
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Teklu
authors.affiliation: Georgia Institute of Technology, UMI Georgia Tech - CNRS 2958, George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Tech Lorraine, Laboratory for Ultrasonic Nondestructive Evaluation, 2 rue Marconi, 57070 Metz, France.
authors.forename: Nico F
authors.initials: NF
authors.lastname: Declercq
authors.affiliation: Northwest Mississippi Community College, Division of Natural Sciences, 4975 Highway 51N, Senatobia, Mississippi 38668.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: McPherson
mesh_terms: D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D008027:Light; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D055095:Optics and Photonics / Q000379:methods*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D012542:Scattering, Radiation; D013016:Sound; D014159:Transducers; D014465:Ultrasonics / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods*