Monte Carlo simulation of near-infrared light propagation through homogeneous mixed media

Nichole M. Maughan, Joseph W. Moody, David R. Miller

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

3 Scopus citations

Abstract

Noninvasive blood analysis devices that can measure levels of small constituents of blood are of interest in the medical community. An important step in creating these devices is to understand the interaction of photons with human tissue in increasingly greater physiological detail. Models based on layered biological materials give excellent results for many applications but may not be as accurate as needed when those materials are finely intertwined to the point of resembling a homogeneous mixture. To explore the ramifications of treating materials as layers versus a mixture, we have modeled, using a Monte Carlo technique, the interaction of photons through epidermis, blood, and water arranged both in layers and in a homogeneous blend. We confirm the expected linear relation between photon attenuation and material volumetric percentage in two-layer models. However, when the materials are homogeneously mixed together and volumetric percentage is replaced with interaction volume percentage, this relationship becomes nonlinear. These nonlinearities become significant when the values of the interaction coefficient, μt, differ by an order of magnitude or more.

Original languageEnglish
Article number105007
JournalJournal of biomedical optics
Volume18
Issue number10
DOIs
StatePublished - Oct 2013

Keywords

  • Monte Carlo
  • homogeneous mix
  • near-infrared
  • noninvasive

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Monte Carlo simulation of near-infrared light propagation through homogeneous mixed media'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this