Method and apparatus for measuring locally and superficially the scattering and absorption properties of turbid media
US6850656B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 7, 1999 |
| Grant date | Feb 1, 2005 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 7, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01N21/49
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
We present a method and apparatus for local and superficial measurement of the optical properties of turbid media. The depth probed is on the order of 1 transport mean free path of the photon. The absorption coefficient, reduced scattering coefficient and the phase function parameter γ=(1−g2)/(1−g1) are optical parameters computed from a single measurement of the spatially resolved reflectance close to the source. Images of superficial structures of the medium can be obtained by performing multi-site measurements. An important application of this technique is the characterization of biological tissues, for example for medical diagnostic purposes. Measurements on biological tissues can be achieved using a probe of diameter less than 2 mm, and the average volume probed is on the order of 1 mm3. Separate images of absorption and tissue structure can be achieved with a resolution of approximately one transport mean free path of the considered tissue.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.