Abstract

A multi-source multi-detector near-infrared frequency- domain instrument was used to characterize the optical properties of tissue phantoms having curved boundaries and a clear layer to simulate the brain and cerebrospinal fluid. Cylindrical models with varying diameters and a three-layer model were studied. As radius of curvature of the model was decreased, both µ_a and µ'_s decreased compared with a flat surface model. The presence of a clear layer dramatically decreased µ'_s, but had relatively little effect on µ_a. When a black object was located beneath the clear layer, an image of the object could still be obtained from the surface.

© 1998 Optical Society of America