Abstract

The use of fluorescent and phosphorescent optical probes for non-invasive chemical-based sensing in tissues is investigated using finite element computations. The results show that when the lifetime of the probe is significantly longer than the time associated with photon migration, the origin of the re-emitted signal becomes located closest to the surface. In order to probe more deeply, optical probes with lifetimes on the order of photo migration times are required. In such cases, deconvolution of the photon migration times from probe lifetimes are necessary for lifetime-based biochemical sensing in tissues.

© 1994 Optical Society of America