title: Assessing Absorption Coefficient of Hemoglobin in the Breast Phantom Using Near-Infrared Spectroscopy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Blood concentrations and oxygen saturation levels are important biomarkers for breast cancer diagnosis.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  In this study, the absorption coefficient of hemoglobin (Hb) was used to distinguish between normal and abnormal breast tissue.
  
  
  METHODS
  A near-infrared source (637 nm) was transmitted from major and minor vessels of a breast phantom containing 2×, 4× concentrations of oxy- and deoxy-Hb. The absorption coefficients were determined from spectrometer (SM) and powermeter (PM) data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The absorption coefficients were 0.075 ± 0.026 cm-1for oxygenated Hb (normal) in major vessels and 0.141 ± 0.023 cm-1at 4× concentration (abnormal) with SM, whereas the breast absorption coefficients were 0.099 ± 0.017 cm-1for oxygenated Hb (normal) in minor vessels and 0.171 ± 0.005 cm-1at 4× concentrations with SM. A comparison of the data obtained using a SM and a PM was not significant statistically.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study of the absorption coefficient data of different concentrations of Hb in normal and abnormal breasts via the diffusion of near-infrared light is a valuable method and has the potential to aid in early detection of breast abnormalities with SM and PM in major and minor vessels.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Physics, School of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Parinaz
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mehnati
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Physics, School of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Maede
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jafari Tirtash
authors.affiliation: Research Institute for Applied Physics and Astronomy, Tabriz University, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Sadegh
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Zakerhamidi
authors.affiliation: Research Institute for Applied Physics and Astronomy, Tabriz University, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Parisa
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mehnati
keywords: Absorption Coefficient; Hemoglobin; Near Infrared Spectroscopy; Optical Properties