Imaging through scattering media using characteristics of the temporal distribution of transmitted laser pulses

An object consisting of small inhomogeneities embedded in a highly scattering solution was imaged using measurements of the time-resolved transmitted intensity of picosecond pulses of near-infrared light. Data acquisition involved translating the object in two orthogonal directions across the beam, and recording the temporal distribution of transmitted light at a series of discrete positions. Images were constructed from the total transmitted light, the first four moments of the temporal distribution, and from parameters derived from a comparison of the distribution with an analytical model, based on the diffusion approximation to the radiative transfer theory. The results show that the optical properties along a line-of-sight between source and detector influence some of these characteristics more than others.

[1]  Philip Kohn,et al.  Image Reconstruction of the Interior of Bodies That Diffuse Radiation , 1990, Science.

[2]  B. Wilson,et al.  Time resolved reflectance and transmittance for the non-invasive measurement of tissue optical properties. , 1989, Applied optics.

[3]  M S Patterson,et al.  Optical properties of normal and diseased human breast tissues in the visible and near infrared. , 1990, Physics in medicine and biology.

[4]  M. Schweiger,et al.  A finite element approach for modeling photon transport in tissue. , 1993, Medical physics.

[5]  R Nossal,et al.  Resolution limits for optical transillumination of abnormalities deeply embedded in tissues. , 1994, Medical physics.

[6]  J C Hebden,et al.  Time-resolved attenuation of transmitted laser pulses by a homogeneous scattering medium. , 1992, Optics letters.

[7]  J C Hebden,et al.  Time-resolved imaging of opaque and transparent spheres embedded in a highly scattering medium. , 1993, Applied optics.

[8]  Simon R. Arridge,et al.  Iterative reconstruction of near-infrared absorption images , 1992, Optics & Photonics.

[9]  Emmett N. Leith,et al.  Imaging through scattering media with holography , 1992 .

[10]  R R Alfano,et al.  Imaging of a translucent object hidden in a highly scattering medium from the early portion of the diffuse component of a transmitted ultrafast laser pulse. , 1992, Optics letters.

[11]  R A Kruger,et al.  Time resolved imaging through a highly scattering medium. , 1991, Applied optics.

[12]  R. Alfano,et al.  Ballistic 2-D Imaging Through Scattering Walls Using an Ultrafast Optical Kerr Gate , 1991, Science.

[13]  M D Duncan,et al.  Time-gated imaging through scattering media using stimulated Raman amplification. , 1991, Optics letters.

[14]  R R Alfano,et al.  Imaging objects hidden in highly scattering media using femtosecond second-harmonic-generation cross-correlation time gating. , 1991, Optics letters.

[15]  J C Hebden,et al.  Evaluating the spatial resolution performance of a time-resolved optical imaging system. , 1992, Medical physics.

[16]  B. Monsees,et al.  Light scan evaluation of nonpalpable breast lesions. , 1987, Radiology.

[17]  S. Svanberg,et al.  Time-resolved transillumination for medical diagnostics. , 1990, Optics letters.