title: Complete-angle projection diffuse optical tomography by use of early photons.
abstract: We present the first, to our knowledge, experimental images of complex-shaped phantoms embedded in diffuse media by use of optical tomography. Imaging is based on a complete-angle projection tomographic technique that utilizes transmitted early photons. Results are contrasted with measurements obtained at later gates as well as pseudocontinuous-wave data. The scanning system developed employs noncontact illumination and detection technologies that allow for high spatial sampling of transmitted photons. Combining this system with complete-angle illumination is found to be an important strategy toward improved imaging performance, resulting in a better-posed inversion problem. The appropriateness of reconstruction algorithms similar to those employed in x-ray computed tomography are showcased, and suggestions for model improvements are provided.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Bio-optics and Molecular Imaging, Center for Molecular Imaging Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, Massachusetts 02129, USA.
authors.forename: Gordon M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Turner
authors.forename: Giannis
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zacharakis
authors.forename: Antoine
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Soubret
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ripoll
authors.forename: Vasilis
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ntziachristos
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D017785:Photons; D012542:Scattering, Radiation; D041622:Tomography, Optical / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*