title: Narrow band 3 × 3 Mueller polarimetric endoscopy.
abstract: Mueller matrix polarimetric imaging has shown potential in tissue diagnosis but is challenging to implement endoscopically. In this work, a narrow band 3 × 3 Mueller matrix polarimetric endoscope was designed by rotating the endoscope to generate 0°, 45° and 90° linearly polarized illumination and positioning a rotating filter wheel in front of the camera containing three polarisers to permit polarization state analysis for backscattered light. The system was validated with a rotating linear polarizer and a diffuse reflection target. Initial measurements of 3 × 3 Mueller matrices on a rat are demonstrated, followed by matrix decomposition into the depolarization and retardance matrices for further analysis. Our work shows the feasibility of implementing polarimetric imaging in a rigid endoscope conveniently and economically in order to reveal diagnostic information.
authors.affiliation: Hamlyn Centre for Robotic Surgery, Institute of Global Health Innovation, Imperial College London, Exhibition Road, London SW7 2AZ, UK ; Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, Exhibition Road, London SW7 2AZ, UK.
authors.forename: Ji
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Qi
authors.forename: Menglong
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ye
authors.forename: Mohan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: Neil T
authors.initials: NT
authors.lastname: Clancy
authors.forename: Daniel S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Elson
keywords: (110.4234) Multispectral and hyperspectral imaging; (170.2150) Endoscopic imaging; (290.5855) Scattering, polarization