Monte Carlo Methods for Simulation of Optical Coherence Tomography of Turbid Media

We describe two importance sampling techniques for a standard Monte Carlo (MC) method that could enable fast simulation of signals from optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging systems. These OCT signals are generated due to diffusive reflections from either multilayered or arbitrary shaped, turbid media, for example, tissue. Such signals typically consist of ballistic and quasi-ballistic components, of scattered photons inside the medium, in addition to photons that undergo multiple scattering. We show that MC simulation of these OCT signals using importance sampling reduces its computation time on a serial processor by up to three orders of magnitude compared to its corresponding standard implementation. Therefore, these importance sampling techniques enable practical simulation of OCT B-scans of turbid media, for example, tissue, using commonly available workstations

State-of-the art of acousto-optic sensing and imaging of turbid media

Acousto-optic (AO) is an emerging hybrid technique for measuring optical contrast in turbid media using coherent light and ultrasound (US). A turbid object is illuminated with a coherent light source leading to speckle formation in the remitted light. With the use of US, a small volume is selected,which is commonly referred to as the “tagging” volume. This volume acts as a source of modulated light, where modulation might involve phase and intensity change. The tagging volume is created by focusing ultrasound for good lateral resolution; the axial resolution is accomplished by making either the US frequency, amplitude, or phase time-dependent. Typical resolutions are in the order of 1 mm. We will concentrate on the progress in the field since 2003. Different schemes will be discussed to detect the modulated photons based on speckle detection, heterodyne detection, photorefractive crystal (PRC) assisted detection, and spectral hole burning (SHB) as well as Fabry-Perot interferometers. The SHB and Fabry-Perot interferometer techniques are insensitive to speckle decorrelation and therefore suitable for in vivo imaging. However, heterodyne and PRC methods also have potential for in vivo measurements. Besides measuring optical properties such as scattering and absorption, AO can be applied in fluorescence and elastography applications

Multiple scattering in optical coherence tomography signal: Monte Carlo modeling and experimental study

The angle biased Monte Carlo technique is applied to simulate the OCT signal from homogeneous turbid medium. The OCT signal is divided into two categories: one is from a specific imaging target layer in the turbid medium; the other is from the other background medium. The Class II signal has wider spatial and angular distribution than the Class I signal. And it experiences more scattering events. The multiple scattered photons will decrease the contrast of the OCT image and their contributions become dominant at larger depths. The average number of scattering events increases with the probing depth for both Class I and II lights. Experimental study is conducted by measuring the depth-resolved degree of polarization (DOP) of the back- scattered signal from the turbid media. The DOP is derived form the Stokes vector measurements. The incident light is linear polarized and could be depolarize by the multiple scattering. The DOP decreases to 0.5 when Class I signal is equal to the Class II signal. Experiments in the intralipid solution with different scattering coefficient show the imaging depth is limited to 3-4 optical depths

Propagation of polarized light in birefringent turbid media: time-resolved simulations

A Monte Carlo model was used to analyze the propagation of polarized light in linearly birefringent turbid media, such as fibrous tissues. Linearly and circularly polarized light sources were used to demonstrate the change of polarizations in turbid media with different birefringent parameters. Videos of spatially distributed polarization states of light backscattered from or propagating in birefringent media are presented

Imitation of optical coherence tomography images by wave Monte Carlo-based approach implemented with the Leontovich–Fock equation

We present a computational modeling approach for imitation of the time-domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) images of biotissues. The developed modeling technique is based on the implementation of the Leontovich–Fock equation into the wave Monte Carlo (MC) method. We discuss the benefits of the developed computational model in comparison to the conventional MC method based on the modeling of OCT images of a nevus. The developed model takes into account diffraction on bulk-absorbing microstructures and allows consideration of the influence of the amplitude–phase profile of the wave beam on the quality of the OCT images. The selection of optical parameters of modeling medium, used for simulation of optical radiation propagation in biotissues, is based on the results obtained experimentally by OCT. The developed computational model can be used for imitation of the light waves propagation both in time-domain and spectral-domain OCT approaches

Electric field Monte Carlo simulations of focal field distributions produced by tightly focused laser beams in tissues

The focal field distribution of tightly focused laser beams in turbid media is sensitive to optical scattering and therefore of direct relevance to image quality in confocal and nonlinear microscopy. A model that considers both the influence of scattering and diffraction on the amplitude and phase of the electric field in focused beam geometries is required to describe these distorted focal fields. We combine an electric field Monte Carlo approach that simulates the electric field propagation in turbid media with an angular-spectrum representation of diffraction theory to analyze the effect of tissue scattering properties on the focal field. In particular, we examine the impact of variations in the scattering coefficient (µs), single-scattering anisotropy (g), of the turbid medium and the numerical aperture of the focusing lens on the focal volume at various depths. The model predicts a scattering-induced broadening, amplitude loss, and depolarization of the focal field that corroborates experimental results. We find that both the width and the amplitude of the focal field are dictated primarily by µs with little influence from g. In addition, our model confirms that the depolarization rate is small compared to the amplitude loss of the tightly focused field

Propagation of coherent polarized light in turbid highly scattering medium

Within the framework of further development of unified Monte Carlo code for the needs of biomedical optics and biophotonics, we present an approach for modeling of coherent polarized light propagation in highly scattering turbid media, such as biological tissues. The temporal coherence of light, linear and circular polarization, interference, and the helicity flip of circularly polarized light due to reflection at the medium boundary and/ or backscattering events are taken into account. To achieve higher accuracy in the results and to speed up the modeling, the implementation of the code utilizes parallel computing on NVIDIA graphics processing units using Compute Unified Device Architecture. The results of the simulation of coherent linearly and circularly polarized light are presented in comparison with the results of known theoretical studies and the results of alternative modelings

2-D PSTD simulation of optical phase conjugation for turbidity suppression

Turbidity Suppression via Optical Phase Conjugation (TS-OPC) is an optical phenomenon that uses the back propagation nature of optical phase conjugate light field to undo the effect of tissue scattering. We use the computationally efficient and accurate pseudospectral time-domain (PSTD) simulation method to study this phenomenon; a key adaptation is the volumetric inversion of the optical wavefront E-field as a means for simulating a phase conjugate mirror. We simulate a number of scenarios and demonstrate that TS-OPC deteriorates with increased scattering in the medium, or increased mismatch between the random medium and the phase conjugate wave during reconstruction

Measurement of particle flux in a static matrix with suppressed influence of optical properties, using low coherence interferometry

Perfusion measurements using conventional laser Doppler techniques are affected by the variations in tissue optical properties. Differences in absorption and scattering will induce different path lengths and consequently will alter the probability that a Doppler shift will occur. In this study, the fraction of Doppler shifted photons and the Doppler broadening of a dynamic medium, are measured with a phase modulated low coherence Mach-Zehnder interferometer. Path length-resolved dynamic light scattering measurements are performed in various media having a constant concentration of dynamic particles inside a static matrix with different scattering properties and the results are compared with a conventional laser Doppler technique, with a simple model and with Monte Carlo simulations. We demonstrate that, for larger optical path lengths, the scattering coefficient of the static matrix in which the moving particles are embedded have a small to minimal effect on the measured fraction of Doppler shifted photons and on the measured average Doppler frequency of the Doppler shifted light. This approach has potential applications in measuring perfusion independent of the influence of optical properties in the static tissue matrix