ECE532 Biomedical Optics © 1998 Steven L. Jacques, Scott A. Prahl Oregon Graduate Institute

Summary

The topic of tissue optical properties is still not fully developed. A survey of all tissue types has not been completed. Yet such a survey would only be a guideline since subject to subject variation and normal vs diseased variation apparently are sufficiently significant to warrant ad hoc measurements on any particular tissue site of interest.

Other tissues may present different types of scattering than just the simple "soft tissue" and "dermis" models presented here. Muscles have myoglobin and actin-myosin fibers. Brain has myelin sheaths around nerves. Fatty tissues are distinct in their properties. The scattering by the nucleus has been ignored here, but is a potential scattering site of clinical importance. A lot more work remains.

The optical properties of aorta can be found at Spectra: aorta.