Abstract

The absorption and reduced scattering parameters μ_a, and μ_s′, respectively) of a turbid medium, such as tissue, can be used to characterize its composition and structure. For instance, μ_a, and μ_s′, of tissue can provide information on a variety of physiological processes. Absorption spectrum is used to quantify the concentration of biologically important chromophores, such as hemoglobin, myoglobin, water, fat, and near-infrared absorbing drugs. Scattering properties offer insight into the composition, density, and organization of tissue structures, such as cells, sub-cellular organelles, and connective tissue/extracellular matrix Since changes in these components generally accompany pathologic transformations and physiologic processes, techniques for non-invasively quantifying μ_a, and μ_s′ in vivo have generated intense interest One approach for characterizing μ_a, and μ_s′, of turbid media is to use the spatially-resolved steady-state diffuse reflectance In this study, we investigate the feasibility of using hyperspectral images of the diffuse reflectance to quantify μ_a, and μ_s′ over a continuous and broad spectral range.

© 2000 IEEE