title: Multiple and dependent scattering effects in Doppler optical coherence tomography.
abstract: Doppler optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a technique to image tissue morphology and to measure flow in turbid media. In its most basic form, it is based on single (Mie) scattering. However, for highly scattering and dense media multiple and concentration dependent scattering can occur. For Intralipid solutions with varying scattering strength, the effect of multiple and dependent scattering on the OCT signal attenuation and Doppler flow is investigated. We observe a non-linear increase in the OCT signal attenuation rate and an increasingly more distorted Doppler OCT flow profile with increasing Intralipid concentration. The Doppler OCT attenuation and flow measurements are compared to Monte Carlo simulations and good agreement is observed. Based on this comparison, we determine that the single scattering attenuation coefficient micros is 15% higher than the measured OCT signal attenuation rate. This effect and the distortion of the measured flow profile are caused by multiple scattering. The non-linear behavior of the single scattering attenuation coefficient with Intralipid concentration is attributed to concentration dependent scattering.
authors.affiliation: Biomedical Engineering & Physics, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, PO Box 22700, 1100 DE Amsterdam, The Netherlands. j.kalkman@amc.nl
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kalkman
authors.forename: A V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Bykov
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Faber
authors.forename: T G
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: van Leeuwen
mesh_terms: D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D017078:Laser-Doppler Flowmetry / Q000379:methods*; D008027:Light; D012542:Scattering, Radiation; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence / Q000379:methods*