Simple detection of absorption change in skin tissue using simulated spectral reflectance database

Abstract We present a method for detection of absorption change in skin tissue on the basis of simulated spectra extracted from an absorption-oriented database. We constructed the database with a moderate number of reflectance spectra which are simulated by the Monte Carlo method using the nine-layered skin model. In the construction of database, change of only absorption coefficients in the nine layers is made with two magnification factors for two groups of layers. For a measured spectrum with an absorption change, a simulated spectrum is being extracted out from the database by the criterion of root mean square error. The absorption coefficients associated with the extracted spectrum are used to specify the absorption change in the measured spectrum. We performed experiments of suntan, pressure-cuff occlusion and hot water immersion and compared the results with those of the multiple regression analysis to show the usefulness of the method for evaluating the change of absorption properties from measured spectra.