Time-resolved imaging on a realistic tissue phantom: μs′ and μa images versus time-integrated images

A method is proposed by which we construct images through turbid media, plotting directly either the transport-scattering coefficient μ(s) ' or the absorption coefficient μ(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 μ(s) ' and μ(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.