Investigation of linear polarization difference imaging based on rotation of incident and backscattered polarization angles

A novel polarized light reflective imaging method using rotating linearly polarized light was demonstrated. By varying the incident and detection polarization angles in a fixed increments, a series of images corresponding to different combinations of incident and detection polarizations are recorded. Intensity difference corresponding to orthogonal detection polarizations are calculated pixel by pixel as a function of incident and detection polarization angle and fitted to an empirical formula. The fittings result in a set of parameters. Using various tissue samples and intralipid as phantom, the correlation between these parameters and the optical characters of the sample, such as scattering coefficient, anisotropy and orientation of macro structure was demonstrated. Images based on theses parameters may find clinical applications in diagnosis of skin diseases or assessment of skin damages.