2D CCD imaging in oblique incidence for noninvasive measurement of biological tissues optical coefficients

The measurement of absorption and scattering optical parameters (mu) a and (mu) 's is difficult in vivo. We developed a new method for non invasive measurement of these coefficients. It is based on existing steady state reflectance methods but it reduces the sensitivity to noise with an integration method. It also decreases the dependence on the sample roughness and on the angular position of the source regarding the sample. The image is circularly integrated versus the radius from the maximum to the nearest side. The integral reflectance is then fitted with a theoretical formula using 2 point sources model. We validate the method on simulation images and on calibrated Latex beads suspensions used as scattering phantoms. The integral reflectance method has then been applied to the measurements of (mu) a and (mu) 's coefficients of the human skin in vivo. We have obtained a good reproducibility of the results.© (1998) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.