title: Validation of quantitative attenuation and backscattering coefficient measurements by optical coherence tomography in the concentration-dependent and multiple scattering regime.
abstract: Optical coherence tomography (OCT) has the potential to quantitatively measure optical properties of tissue such as the attenuation coefficient and backscattering coefficient. However, to obtain reliable values for strong scattering tissues, accurate consideration of the effects of multiple scattering and the nonlinear relation between the scattering coefficient and scatterer concentration (concentration-dependent scattering) is required. We present a comprehensive model for the OCT signal in which we quantitatively account for both effects, as well as our system parameters (confocal point spread function and sensitivity roll-off). We verify our model with experimental data from controlled phantoms of monodisperse silica beads (scattering coefficients between 1 and 30  mm(−1) and scattering anisotropy between 0.4 and 0.9). The optical properties of the phantoms are calculated using Mie theory combined with the Percus–Yevick structure factor to account for concentration-dependent scattering. We demonstrate excellent agreement between the OCT attenuation and backscattering coefficient predicted by our model and experimentally derived values. We conclude that this model enables us to accurately model OCT-derived parameters (i.e., attenuation and backscattering coefficients) in the concentration-dependent and multiple scattering regime for spherical monodisperse samples.
authors.affiliation: University of Amsterdam, Academic Medical Center, Department of Biomedical Engineering and Physics, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Mitra
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Almasian
authors.affiliation: University of Twente, MIRA Institute for Biomedical Technology and Technical Medicine, Biomedical Photonic Imaging Group, Zuidhorst ZH263, 7500 AE, Enschede, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Nienke
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bosschaart
authors.affiliation: University of Amsterdam, Academic Medical Center, Department of Biomedical Engineering and Physics, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Ton G
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: van Leeuwen
authors.affiliation: University of Amsterdam, Academic Medical Center, Department of Biomedical Engineering and Physics, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Dirk J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Faber
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D016880:Anisotropy; D002138:Calibration; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D016018:Least-Squares Analysis; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal / Q000379:methods; D009010:Monte Carlo Method; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D055095:Optics and Photonics; D009991:Oscillometry; D010100:Oxygen / Q000737:chemistry; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D012031:Refractometry; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012542:Scattering, Radiation; D012822:Silicon Dioxide / Q000737:chemistry; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence / Q000379:methods*; D014867:Water
chemical_list: D014867:Water; D012822:Silicon Dioxide; D010100:Oxygen