Expand this Topic clickable element to expand a topic
Skip to content
Optica Publishing Group

Detection and characterization of optical inhomogeneities with diffuse photon density waves: a signal-to-noise analysis

Not Accessible

Your library or personal account may give you access

Abstract

Diffusing photons provide information about the optical properties of turbid media. In biological tissues these optical properties may be correlated to physiological parameters, enabling one to probe effectively the physiological states of tissue for abnormalities such as tumors and hemorrhages. We show that positional uncertainty in the source and detector lead to significant random errors that degrade the optical information available from diffusing photons. We investigate the limits for the detection, localization, and characterization of optical inhomogeneities by using diffusing photons as a probe. Although detection is sufficient for tumor screening, full characterization of the optical properties is desirable for specification of the tumor. Our findings in model breast systems with realistic signal-to-noise ratios indicate that tumors as small as 0.3 cm in diameter can be unambiguously detected; however, simultaneous determination of tumor size and optical properties is possible only if its diameter is of the order of 1.0 cm or larger. On the other hand, if a priori information about the size (optical properties) is available, then the optical properties (size) of tumors as small as 0.3 cm in diameter can be determined.

© 1997 Optical Society of America

Full Article  |  PDF Article
More Like This
Photon density waves scattered from cylindrical inhomogeneities: theory and experiments

Scott A. Walker, David A. Boas, and Enrico Gratton
Appl. Opt. 37(10) 1935-1944 (1998)

Measurement of diffuse photon-pairs density wave in a multiple-scattering medium

Li-Ping Yu, Chien Chou, Jheng-Syong Wu, and Yi-Hsin Chan
Appl. Opt. 47(14) 2708-2714 (2008)

Cited By

You do not have subscription access to this journal. Cited by links are available to subscribers only. You may subscribe either as an Optica member, or as an authorized user of your institution.

Contact your librarian or system administrator
or
Login to access Optica Member Subscription

Figures (16)

You do not have subscription access to this journal. Figure files are available to subscribers only. You may subscribe either as an Optica member, or as an authorized user of your institution.

Contact your librarian or system administrator
or
Login to access Optica Member Subscription

Equations (8)

You do not have subscription access to this journal. Equations are available to subscribers only. You may subscribe either as an Optica member, or as an authorized user of your institution.

Contact your librarian or system administrator
or
Login to access Optica Member Subscription

Select as filters


Select Topics Cancel
© Copyright 2024 | Optica Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved