Optical properties of rat liver between 350 and 2200 nm

Abstract

Previous investigators have determined the optical properties of the liver at isolated wavelengths using various models of light propagation. In this study we derived coefficients for absorption, scattering, and anisotropy for rat liver between 350 and 2200 nm using measurements of integrated reflectance, transmittance, and on-axis attenuation and a diffusion approximation algorithm to solve the 1-D transport equation. These results were used to estimate the effective attenuation coefficient, penetration depth, and temperature rise induced by laser irradiation. The data should be of value to investigators in the field of tissue optics and developers of photomedical applications involving the liver.