Perturbation theory for diffuse light transport in complex biological tissues.
A perturbation theory for the forward problem of optical transport in turbid media is developed. It is applicable to media with scattering and absorption in homogeneties and steady-state and modulated light. Absorbing perturbations can be described by a volume distribution of virtual sources that primarily causes a monopole perturbation light field. Scattering objects have an additional contribution that, in the limiting case of sharply bounded objects, is represented by a surface distribution of virtual sources and causes a dipolelike perturbation pattern. Using the concept of virtual sources, we discuss a possible ambiguity between the perturbations from scattering and absorbing inhomogeneities and the implications for the source-detector placement in inverse problems. We show that the surface effects due to sharp boundaries of scattering objects pose both a numerical problem and a chance to improve the resolution of inverse algorithms.
Ostermeyer
M R
MR
Laser Biology Research Laboratory, University of Texas, M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston 77030, USA.
Jacques
S L
SL
D000042:Absorption; D000465:Algorithms; D008027:Light; D012542:Scattering, Radiation; D012996:Solutions
D012996:Solutions