Radiance detection of non-scattering inclusions in turbid media

Detection of non-scattering domains (voids) is an area of active research in biomedical optics. To avoid complexities of image reconstruction algorithms and requirements of a priori knowledge of void locations inherent to diffuse optical tomography (DOT), it would be useful to establish specific experimental signatures of voids that would help identify and detect them by other means. To address this, we present a radiance-based spectro-angular mapping approach that identifies void locations in the angular domain and establishes their spectral features. Using water-filled capillaries in scattering Intralipid as a test platform, we demonstrate perturbations in the directional photon density distribution produced by individual voids. (c) 2012 Optical Society of America