title: Reflectance model for acetowhite epithelium.
abstract: Application of low concentration acetic acid solution to various types of human epithelia, in vivo, is a well-established technique for the visual identification of neoplastic and potential precancerous lesions, especially in the cervix. An acetic acid application produces a transient whitening effect associated with the aforementioned lesions (acetowhite effect). In this article, a simple semi-empirical tissue reflectance model is presented, which describes the acetowhite effect in terms of the tissue's optical properties and layered structure. The model successfully describes data available in the literature, explains basic characteristics of the acetowhite effect, and can serve as the basis for the development of more accurate and reliable noninvasive diagnostic methodologies for precancerous epithelial lesions.
authors.affiliation: University of Ioannina, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, 45110 Ioannina, Greece. gzonios@cc.uoi.gr
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zonios
mesh_terms: D019342:Acetic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000818:Animals; D057886:Bleaching Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D004848:Epithelium / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008027:Light; D008954:Models, Biological; D012542:Scattering, Radiation
chemical_list: D057886:Bleaching Agents; D019342:Acetic Acid