<title>Effect of local absorption changes on phase-shift measurement using phase modulation spectroscopy</title>

Abstract

Recently, researchers have used phase modulation of photons (PMP) at near infrared wavelengths to assess in vivo tissue blood perfusion. The incident light intensity is amplitude modulated in the megahertz to gigahertz range and the phase shift is measured at the detector for the photon waves that have migrated through biological tissue. The obtained phase shift is related to the pathlength for the detected photons. In the past, the models for this process have not considered the effect upon phase produced by inhomogeneities within the in vivo tissue. The phase shift is a function of the distribution of the optical properties within the medium. We used a simple experimental model to investigate the effect upon phase shift of the location for optical changes. A mathematical model has been developed to describe this effect. The results demonstrate that a measured phase shift depends upon the location at which the optical properties are changed, as well as upon the magnitude of change in the optical properties. In vivo tissue is inhomogeneous so that its optical properties are also inhomogeneous. It is therefore important to consider the optical property distribution of the in vivo tissue when assessing blood perfusion using phase modulation measurements.