Abstract

Diffusing near-infrared light offers exciting possibilities for medical imaging.¹ In order to develop an effective imaging system, it is necessary to understand the fundamental limits to detecting and characterizating anamolies such as tumors and hematomas. In this paper we use a proven analytic model for the propagation of diffuse photon density waves (DPDWs)² to assess our ability to detect and characterize tissue heterogeneities in realistic models. Our preliminary findings indicate that absorbing inhomogeneities as small as 0.2 cm can be detected but that the diameter a and the absorption coefficient μ_a can be determined independently only for objects with ~0.8 cm diameters that are larger.

© 1995 Optical Society of America