Physical properties of hydrated tissue determined by surface interferometry of laser-induced thermoelastic deformation.

Knee meniscus is a hydrated tissue; it is a fibrocartilage of the knee joint composed primarily of water. We present results of interferometric surface monitoring by which we measure physical properties of human knee meniscal cartilage. The physical response of biological tissue to a short laser pulse is primarily thermomechanical. When the pulse is shorter than characteristic times (thermal diffusion time and acoustic relaxation time) stresses build and propagate as acoustic waves in the tissue. The tissue responds to the laser-induced stress by thermoelastic expansion. Solving the thermoelastic wave equation numerically predicts the correct laser-induced expansion. By comparing theory with experimental data, we can obtain the longitudinal speed of sound, the effective optical penetration depth and the Grüneisen coefficient. This study yields information about the laser tissue interaction and determines properties of the meniscus samples that could be used as diagnostic parameters.