Author :
van Gemert, M.J.C. ; Jacques, Steven L. ; Sterenborg, H.J.C.M. ; Star, W.M.
Author_Institution :
Acad. Med. Centre, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Abstract :
The current status of tissue optics is reviewed, distinguishing among the cases of dominant absorption, dominant scattering, and scattering about equal to absorption. Previously published data as well as some current unpublished data on (human) stratum corneum, epidermis, and dermis are collected and/or (re)analyzed in terms of absorption coefficient, scattering coefficient, and anisotropy scattering factor. It is found that the individual skin layers show strongly forward scattering (anisotropy factors between 0.7 and 0.9). The absorption and scattering data show that for all wavelengths considered, scattering is much more important than absorption. Solutions to the transport equation for a multilayer skin model and finite beam laser irradiation that take this into account are not yet available. Hence, any quantitative dosimetry for skin treated with (laser) light is inaccurate.
Keywords :
biophysics; dosimetry; laser applications in medicine; light absorption; light scattering; reviews; skin; absorption coefficient; anisotropy factors; anisotropy scattering factor; dermis; dominant absorption; dominant scattering; epidermis; equal scattering/absorption; finite beam laser irradiation; forward scattering; human skin; irradiated skin; laser beam irradiation; multilayer skin model; quantitative dosimetry; scattering coefficient; skin layers; skin optics; stratum corneum; tissue optics; transport equation; Absorption; Anisotropic magnetoresistance; Dermis; Epidermis; Geometrical optics; Humans; Laser modes; Light scattering; Optical scattering; Skin; Absorption; Humans; Lasers; Models, Biological; Optics; Radiation; Skin;
Journal_Title :
Biomedical Engineering, IEEE Transactions on
