Time-resolved imaging on a realistic tissue phantom: mu(s)' and mu(a) images versus time-integrated images

A method is proposed by which we construct images through turbid media, plotting directly either the transport-scattering coefficient mu(s)', or the absorption coefficient mu(a). These optical parameters are obtained from the best fit of the time-resolved transmittance curves with a diffusion model. Measurements were performed with a time-correlated single-photon counting system on realistic tissue phantoms simulating a tumor mass within a breast. Images were obtained with an incident power of <1 mW and an acquisition time of 1 s/point. Comparison of mu s',' and mu(a), images with time-integrated images constructed from the same experimental data shows that the fitting method discriminates between scattering and absorption inhomogeneities and improves image quality for scattering but not for absorption inhomogeneities. (C) 1996 Optical Society of America