Analysis and calibration of linear birefringence orientation parameters derived from Mueller matrix for multi-layered tissues

Abstract

Mueller matrix polarimetry can provide abundant microstructural information of tissues. Mueller matrix polar decomposition (MMPD) is capable of extracting intrinsic polarimetric characteristics of tissue-like media, including the orientation of the linear birefringence axis. However, when measuring a multi-layered sample with linear birefringence of different orientation directions, there is a deviation between the measured and ideal values of the MMPD linear birefringence orientation parameter. Since the multi-layered anisotropic structures widely exist in biomedical samples, a modified MMPD parameter to calculate linear birefringence orientation more precisely for layered tissues is crucial. Here we propose a modified MMPD parameter to calculate linear birefringence orientation for multi-layered media. By measuring different customized phantoms and pathological tissue slices, we demonstrate that the modified parameter can show more accurately the linear birefringence orientation angle of multi-layered media. The proposed parameter can be helpful for the quantitative evaluation of not only the pathological tissue slices with fibers, but also many other material samples with layered birefringent structures.