OPTICAL TISSUE-EQUIVALENT PHANTOMS FOR MEDICAL IMAGING

Abstract

Medical imaging with laser radiation, especially for early detection of cancer is gaining importance as this is based on refractive index variation which is quite sensitive parameter in contrast to parameters used in other diagnostic techniques. Optical scattering of various sheep organs were measured by laser reflectometer and their surface reflectance profiles were determined. Tissue equivalent optical phantoms for these tissues were prepared from paraffin wax by mixing a specific combination of wax color materials till the best fit surface profile of the phantoms with that of their corresponding tissues were achieved. The optical parameters absorption coefficient (µ a ), reduced scattering coefficient (µ s ′ ) and anisotropy factor ( g ) of tissues and phantoms were determined by Monte Carlo simulation technique. Based on this technology tissue equivalent optical phantoms for optical imaging of healthy and diseased organs could be developed and their optical parameters determined.