Rapid non-contact viscosity measurement based on optical coherence tomography

Abstract

Viscosity measurement is crucial in biomedical research and clinical diagnosis. Currently, rapid and non-contact methods for measuring viscosity remain challenging. We propose a method based on optical coherence tomography for fast, remote assessment of the liquid viscosity. The viscosity of the liquid sample was quantified according to Poiseuille's law, the flow velocity was determined using optical coherence tomography, and the real-time pressure difference was measured by two manometers. Glycerol–water mixtures with various viscosities were tested to assess the accuracy of the optical coherence tomography (OCT) viscosity measurement. Then, blood samples with different levels of hemodilution and hematocrit were measured to validate the feasibility of the OCT method in the blood viscosity measurement. The results indicate that the proposed method can provide rapid, non-contact liquid viscosity measurement. It could significantly impact research on hemodynamics and diagnosis of blood disorders.