title: Photon pathlength determination based on spatially resolved diffuse reflectance.
abstract: A method for the prediction of the average photon pathlength in turbid media has been developed. The method is based on spatially resolved diffuse reflectance with discrete source detector distances up to 2 mm. Light reflectance was simulated using a Monte Carlo technique with a one-layer model utilizing a wide range of optical properties, relevant to human skin. At a source detector separation of 2 mm, the pathlength can vary sixfold due to differences in optical properties. By applying various preprocessing and prediction techniques, the pathlength can be predicted with a root-mean-square error of approximately 5%. Estimation of the photon pathlength can be used, e.g., to remove the influence of optical properties on laser Doppler flowmetry perfusion readings, which are almost linearly related to the average photon pathlength.
authors.affiliation: Linköpings universitet, Department of Biomedical Engineering, University Hospital, S-581 85 Linköping, Sweden. henni@imt.liu.se
authors.forename: Henrik
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nilsson
authors.forename: Marcus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Larsson
authors.forename: Gert E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Nilsson
authors.forename: Tomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Strömberg
mesh_terms: D055592:Biophysical Phenomena; D001703:Biophysics; D006801:Humans; D017078:Laser-Doppler Flowmetry; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D009010:Monte Carlo Method; D009391:Nephelometry and Turbidimetry; D055095:Optics and Photonics; D017785:Photons; D012867:Skin / Q000033:anatomy & histology