Monte Carlo modelling of angular radiance in tissue phantoms and human prostate: PDT light dosimetry

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a promising technique for destroying tumours. Photosensitizing drugs presently available are not sufficiently tumour specific; hence, light dosimetry is required in order to control light exposure and thereby restrict cell kill to the target tissue to avoid damage to healthy tissue. Current light dosimetry methods rely on tissue optical characterization by fluence measurements at several points. Fluence-based tissue characterization is impractical for tumours in organs such as prostate where access by optical probes is limited and the rumours are highly optically inhomogeneous. This paper explores the potential of radiance-based light dosimetry as an alternative. Correlation is found between Monte Carlo simulation of radiance in a tissue phantom and radiance measurements made using a new radiance probe. Radiance is sensitive to variations in the tissue optical parameters, absorption coefficient mu(a), scattering coefficient mu(s), and anisotropy factor g, and therefore is potentially useful for tissue characterization. Radiance measurements have several advantages over fluence measurements. Radiance measurements provide more information from a single location, better spatial resolution of the tissue optical parameters, and higher sensitivity in discriminating between different media. However, the Monte Carlo method is too slow to be of practical value for tissue characterization by correlation of measured and simulated radiance. An analytical solution to the transport equation for radiance would be desirable as this would facilitate and increase the speed of tissue characterization.