Abstract

Contrasting of skin forming elements in optical coherence tomography (OCT) images after application of silica/gold nanoshells or titanium dioxide nanoparticles in solution is discussed. The study is performed both by Monte Carlo simulations and in vivo on animals. The result show that application of both types of nanoparticles produces contrast increase in the OCT images of skin. The increase in OCT signal level originates from the higher backscattering on nanoparticles compared to that on skin forming elements. The increase of contrast in the OCT images originates from the difference in nanoparticles concentration within different skin constituents. These experimental results are confirmed qualitatively by Monte Carlo simulations based on multilayer skin model.

© 2009 OSA/SPIE