Abstract

We report on the development of an optical-fiber-based diagnostic tool with which to determine the local optical properties of a turbid medium. By using a single fiber in contact with the medium to deliver and detect white light, we have optimized the probability of detection of photons scattered from small depths. The contribution of scattered light from greater depths to the signal is measured and subtracted with an additional fiber, i.e., a collection fiber, to yield a differential backscatter signal. Phantoms demonstrate that, when photons have large mean free paths compared with the fiber diameter, single scattering dominates the differential backscatter signal. When photons have small mean free paths compared with the fiber diameter, the apparent path length of the photons that contribute to the differential backscatter signal becomes approximately equal to 4/5 of the fiber diameter. This effect is nearly independent of the optical properties of the sample under investigation.

© 2004 Optical Society of America

In vivo measurement of the local optical properties of tissue by use of differential path-length spectroscopy

Arjen Amelink, Henricus J. C. M. Sterenborg, Martin P. L. Bard, and Sjaak A. Burgers
Opt. Lett. 29(10) 1087-1089 (2004)

Controlling the optical path length in turbid media using differential path-length spectroscopy: fiber diameter dependence

O. P. Kaspers, H. J. C. M. Sterenborg, and A. Amelink
Appl. Opt. 47(3) 365-371 (2008)

Analytical model of light reflectance for extraction of the optical properties in small volumes of turbid media

Roberto Reif, Ousama A'Amar, and Irving J. Bigio
Appl. Opt. 46(29) 7317-7328 (2007)

Measuring mucosal blood supply in vivo with a polarization-gating probe

Vladimir M. Turzhitsky, Andrew J. Gomes, Young L. Kim, Yang Liu, Alexey Kromine, Jeremy D. Rogers, Mohammed Jameel, Hemant K. Roy, and Vadim Backman
Appl. Opt. 47(32) 6046-6057 (2008)

Single-scattering spectroscopy for the endoscopic analysis of particle size in superficial layers of turbid media

Arjen Amelink, Martin P. L. Bard, Sjaak A. Burgers, and Henricus J. C. M. Sterenborg
Appl. Opt. 42(19) 4095-4101 (2003)