Optimization and evaluation of a three-dimensional diffuse optical tomography system for brain imaging

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Wang, Qiang | Liu, Zhao | Jiang, Huabei

Affiliations: J. Crayton Pruitt Family Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA | Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Neurology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA

Note: [] Corresponding author. Tel.: +1 352 392 7943; Fax: +1 352 392 9791; E-mail: hjiang@bme.ufl.edu

Abstract: Diffuse optical tomography (DOT) is an emerging imaging modality for non-invasive brain functional mapping. The hemodynamic and metabolic images derived from optical properties are unique and complementary to those of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron emission tomography (PET). In this paper we present a procedure to optimize the number of sources and detectors as well as mesh size that can be used for image reconstruction in reflectance mode through a series of numerical simulations and tissue-like phantom experiments where both the absorption and scattering images are obtained. In these studies, we also tested the system ability to image a target with small size as well as with low contrast relative to the background medium. Image results were quantitatively analyzed and discussed.

Keywords: Diffuse optical tomography, three-dimensional, reflectance mode, quantitative, brain functional imaging

Journal: Journal of X-Ray Science and Technology, vol. 15, no. 4, pp. 223-234, 2007