Quantitative measurement of optical parameters in the breast using time-resolved spectroscopy. Phantom and preliminary in vivo results.
OBJECTIVE
Although many optical approaches have been investigated to diagnose breast cancers, optical parameters have never been standardized in phantom experiments; thus, the detectabilities in the various approaches could not be compared. The authors measured optical properties of the breast quantitatively using time-resolved reflectance spectroscopy to optimize the optical condition of the phantom.


METHODS
A time-correlated single-photon counting method was used to obtain time-response curves of a phantom and human breasts. The optical parameters were analyzed by fitting the curves to the diffusion equation.


RESULTS
The parameters could be quantified within approximately 10% error in the finite breast phantom. In vivo preliminary results showed significant individual differences.


CONCLUSIONS
The authors were able to measure the optical parameters quantitatively using time-resolved spectroscopy. This optical information will contribute to the investigation of photon migration in the breast.
Department of Radiology, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Japan.
K
K
Suzuki
Y
Y
Yamashita
K
K
Ohta
B
B
Chance
D000328:Adult; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007834:Lasers; D008875:Middle Aged; D008961:Models, Structural; D055095:Optics and Photonics; D013057:Spectrum Analysis; D013997:Time Factors