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Incredible optical magic: How to use the scattering and absorption of light to explore the human body?
In modern medical research, time domain scattering optics (TD Diffuse Optics) is gradually showing its outstanding application potential. This technology uses the principles of light scattering and absorption to penetrate deep into human tissue layers and provide valuable biomedical information. As this technology develops, non-invasive measurement methods will revolutionize the way we monitor our health.
Time domain scattering optics enables continuous and non-invasive monitoring of the optical properties of tissue, making it a powerful diagnostic tool.
The core principle of this technology is based on the precise capture of the state of light in a diffuse medium. In this technology, extremely short pulses of light (less than 100 picoseconds) are injected into biological tissue using a high-performance pulsed laser source. Subsequently, the photon encounters multiple scattering and absorption and is eventually collected at a certain distance, thereby recording the arrival time of the photon. These arrival times are then converted into a distribution time-of-flight histogram (DTOF), which provides detailed information about the dynamics and structure of the tissue.
Absorption and scattering are the main phenomena affecting the migration of photons in diffuse media.
Light is transparent in the red to near-infrared wavelength range of biological tissues, so it can probe deep into tissues, which is of great significance in various in vivo applications and clinical trials. Specifically, scattering and absorption processes have different effects and can be extracted independently without the need for multiple source-detector separations. This unique property gives the TD method a clear advantage over the continuous wave (CW) method, since its penetration depth is completely dependent on the arrival time of the photons.
Cancer screening, blood flow monitoring and assessment of brain function are all areas of application for TD scattering optics. Combined with optimized instrument components - pulsed laser source, single photon detector and timing electronics, this technology can effectively collect and analyze optical signals from deep tissues.
By estimating the absorption and scattering coefficients, scientists can obtain the concentration of different components in the tissue and the related blood oxygen information.
The development of modern time-domain scattering optics is based on a deep understanding of light propagation in diffuse media. Working in this area often utilizes radiative transfer theory to analyze multiple scattering processes. In some cases, this theory can provide accurate solutions that are highly consistent with practical applications. The application of these theories enables us to explore organisms more deeply, and is particularly valuable in detecting various pathologies.
When it comes to specific instrument components, the core of time-domain scattering optics includes a pulsed laser source and an efficient single-photon detector. In particular, bulky tunable Ti:sapphire lasers were often used for research in the past. Although they offer a wide wavelength range, they are gradually being replaced by smaller and safer light sources due to their size and high price.
Combining pulsed light sources with different types of single photon detectors, such as photon counting diodes (SPADs) and silicon photon counters (SiPMs), modern technology allows operation within larger optical windows and improves the efficiency and accuracy of measurements. sex. With the application of these innovative methods, researchers can quickly obtain Parry's optical signals from inside the human body and then conduct detailed analysis.
In time electronics, innovative techniques enable the “lossless reconstruction” of the time-of-flight distribution of photons, a process that allows for detailed analysis of signals from thousands of photons, thereby enriching our understanding of biological tissues. The development of these technologies has not only improved the accuracy of scattered optics technology, but also made it more popular.
Time-domain scatterometry has a wide range of applications, from neonatal monitoring to clinical testing, and has the potential to provide insights into human health.
As technology continues to advance, time-domain scattering optics will undoubtedly play an increasingly important role in biomedicine and even many other scientific fields. The development of this technology will enable us to better understand the physiological changes within the human body and provide new solutions for future medical intervention and health monitoring. Imagine if future medical treatments could rely more on these sophisticated optical technologies to maintain our health?
