Validation of a new algorithm for the recovery of optical properties from turbid samples: GA-MCML against IAD program

Determining optical properties of turbid media has been performed by many research groups using a technique based on iteratively solving the radiative transport equation using the adding doubling technique (IAD). We present a new, alternative method, GA-MCML, for determining optical properties based on a Monte Carlo tech- nique for radiative transport (MCML) guided by a genetics algorithm. The Monte Carlo method is more exible than the adding-doubling technique and can be adapted to a wider range of sample geometries. The genetic algorithm is a robust search technique that is well-adapted to avoiding the local minima in this optimization problem. GA-MCML, has been implemented by modifying the MCML source code to account for two common experimental problems: light losses due to the nite sample size and non-linear integrating sphere eects using Mott's equations. GA-MCML was validated by comparing with IAD method for data acquired at 632.8 nm on a set of phantoms using a single integrating sphere system. The GA-MCML results were equivalent to the IAD technique.