Measurement of optical properties of biological tissues by low-coherence reflectometry

Abstract

We show that optical properties of dense biological tissues can be determined from backscattered power curves measured by a low-coherence reflectometer. Our measurement approach is based on a first-order scattering theory that relates the backscattered power to the total and backscattering cross sections of scatterers in a turbid medium. As a validation of the technique, measurements were made with a commercially available reflectometer on suspensions of polystyrene microspheres having known optical properties. With this reflectometer, which employs a 1300-nm LED source that emits less than 20 μW, we found that skin tissues could be probed to a depth of nearly 1 mm. Estimates of optical coefficients of human dermis and of a variety of excised animal tissues are given.

© 1993 Optical Society of America

Measurement of tissue optical properties by time-resolved detection of laser-induced transient stress

Alexander A. Oraevsky, Steven L. Jacques, and Frank K. Tittel
Appl. Opt. 36(1) 402-415 (1997)

Measurements of the optical properties of tissue in conjunction with photodynamic therapy

Annika M. K. Nilsson, Roger Berg, and Stefan Andersson-Engels
Appl. Opt. 34(21) 4609-4619 (1995)

Performance of single-scattering model versus multiple-scattering model in the determination of optical properties of biological tissue with optical coherence tomography

Peng Lee, Wanrong Gao, and Xianling Zhang
Appl. Opt. 49(18) 3538-3544 (2010)

Measurement of tissue optical properties by the use of oblique-incidence optical fiber reflectometry

Shao-Pow Lin, Lihong Wang, Steven L. Jacques, and Frank K. Tittel
Appl. Opt. 36(1) 136-143 (1997)

Optimal probe geometry for near-infrared spectroscopy of biological tissue

G. Kumar and J. M. Schmitt
Appl. Opt. 36(10) 2286-2293 (1997)