Optical coherence computed tomography

Abstract

A time-resolved optical tomography, optical coherence computed tomography, is proposed to bridge the gap between diffuse optical tomography and optical coherence tomography. Both ballistic and multiple-scattered photons are measured at multiple source-detection positions by low-coherence interferometry providing a temporal resolution smaller than 100 fs. A light-tissue interaction model was established using the time-resolved Monte Carlo method. The optical properties were then reconstructed by solving the inverse transient radiative transport problem under the first Born approximation. Absorbing inclusions of 100 μm diameter were imaged through a 2.6-mm -thick (∼30 scattering mean-free-paths) scattering medium. © 2007 American Institute of Physics.