Polarization Imaging of Optical Anisotropy in Soft Tissues

Polarization imaging is a group of quantitative and label-free techniques that can be used to measure the optical anisotropy of fibrous structures, such as collagen and actin–myosin in soft tissues. In general, polarization imaging can have a field of view that is readily scaled for the required application. This functionality combined with the nondestructive nature of the contrast mechanism makes polarization imaging an ideal choice for studying soft tissue fiber architecture at a macroscopic (tissue-level) scale. Moreover, such techniques can be integrated with mechanical testing instrumentation, enabling the investigation of structure–function relationships of soft tissues. Polarization imaging is an exciting field for tissue biomechanics, particularly as technologies develop that enable relatively inexpensive and straightforward implementations of optomechanical instruments.