title: Monte Carlo modeling of light-tissue interactions in narrow band imaging.
abstract: Light-tissue interactions that influence vascular contrast enhancement in narrow band imaging (NBI) have not been the subject of extensive theoretical study. In order to elucidate relevant mechanisms in a systematic and quantitative manner we have developed and validated a Monte Carlo model of NBI and used it to study the effect of device and tissue parameters, specifically, imaging wavelength (415 versus 540 nm) and vessel diameter and depth. Simulations provided quantitative predictions of contrast-including up to 125% improvement in small, superficial vessel contrast for 415 over 540 nm. Our findings indicated that absorption rather than scattering-the mechanism often cited in prior studies-was the dominant factor behind spectral variations in vessel depth-selectivity. Narrow-band images of a tissue-simulating phantom showed good agreement in terms of trends and quantitative values. Numerical modeling represents a powerful tool for elucidating the factors that affect the performance of spectral imaging approaches such as NBI.
authors.affiliation: Food and Drug Administration, Center for Devices and Radiological Health, Silver Spring, Maryland 20993, USA. 10le@cardinalmail.cua.edu
authors.forename: Du V N
authors.initials: du VN
authors.lastname: Le
authors.forename: Quanzeng
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jessica C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Ramella-Roman
authors.forename: T Joshua
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Pfefer
mesh_terms: D001808:Blood Vessels / Q000737:chemistry; D003198:Computer Simulation; D008954:Models, Biological; D009010:Monte Carlo Method; D009092:Mucous Membrane / Q000737:chemistry; D062048:Narrow Band Imaging / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging