Brillouin Light Scattering: Applications in Biomedical Sciences

TL;DR

Brillouin light scattering techniques are rapidly advancing tools in biomedical sciences, offering non-invasive, high-resolution insights into tissue mechanics through innovative theoretical and experimental methods.

Contribution

This paper provides a comprehensive review of recent developments, applications, and theoretical foundations of Brillouin spectroscopy in biomedical research.

Findings

Brillouin spectroscopy enables contactless mechanical characterization of biological tissues.

Recent experimental methods have improved spatial resolution and sensitivity.

Theoretical models support the interpretation of Brillouin spectra in complex biological environments.

Abstract

Brillouin spectroscopy and imaging are emerging techniques in analytical science, biophotonics and biomedicine. They are based on Brillouin light scattering from acoustic waves or phonons in the GHz range, providing a nondestructive contactless probe of the mechanics on a micro-scale. Novel approaches and applications of these techniques to the field of biomedical sciences are discussed highlighting the theoretical foundations and experimental methods that have been developed to date, acknowledging that this is a fast moving field and a comprehensive account of the relevant literature is critically assessed here.