Novel modeling techniques for tumor diagnostics using pulsed laser sources

In this paper, a two-dimensional transient radiation transport algorithm is developed to analyze short pulse laser transport through a tissue medium having tumors and inhomogeneities imbedded in it. Short pulse probing techniques have distinct advantages over conventional very large pulse width or cw lasers primarily due to the additional information conveyed about the tissue interior by the temporal variation of the observed signal. The distinct feature is the multiple scattering induced temporal signatures that persists for time periods greater than the duration of the source pulse and is a function of the source pulse width, the scattering/absorbing properties and nature of the medium, the location in the medium where the properties undergo changes. A wide range of parameters such as tissue and tumor size, scattering/absorbing properties and phase function of tissues and tumors, tumor location, laser beam diameter will affect the temporal and spatial distribution of the reflected and transmitted optical signals. The goal is to perform a parametric study in order to gain insight about laser-tissue interaction characteristics with the goal to detect tumors. © 2002 SPIE.

Duke Scholars

Author Tuan Vo-Dinh Biomedical Engineering