We have performed time-resolved imaging of diffusely scattering solid phantoms containing an optical inhomogeneity with increased absorption or scattering to simulate a human breast with a tumor inside. Images based on time-domain quantities derived from measured distributions of times of flight of photons are compared to those based on Fourier components. Investigations of contrast and signal- to-noise ratio of transillumination images recorded at different exposure times, i.e. at different numbers of photons detected, show that full images of the phantoms can be obtained within a few minutes only. In addition, we demonstrate that low power picosecond semiconductor lasers are suited for fast time-resolved imaging.

Date Published: 6 December 1996
PDF: 10 pages
Proc. SPIE 2925, Photon Propagation in Tissues II, (6 December 1996); doi: 10.1117/12.260848

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 2925:
Photon Propagation in Tissues II
David A. Benaron M.D.; Britton Chance; Gerhard J. Mueller, Editor(s)