Diffuse reflectance imaging to predict heterogeneities in turbid optical phantom

Abstract

The use of light as a therapeutic agent has been the subject of several studies; however, the dosimetry for its clinical application is still based on empirical data. The propagation of light in biological tissues depends on the tissue optical properties, and these properties may vary among people, tissues and sites, making it diffcult to establish dosimetry. In this context, the research for methods to determine the spatial distribution of light in individual biological tissues becomes essential, allowing the individual dosimetry. This study aims to image the diffuse reflectance at the optical phantom surface to infer the spatial distribution of light inside a phantom when an absorbing obstacle is present. Red laser were used as light source on solid turbid optical phantom; a small black sphere was used as absorbing obstacle. It is important to know, in real time and in a non-invasive way, about the existence of heterogeneities that may compromise the light propagation inside a biological tissue, so that the light dosimetry might be properly established.