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

Steady-State Monte Carlo

Photon hops to new position

The photon takes a step of variable length determined by sampling the exponential probability density function for the stepsize (s) of movement before the photon interacts with the tissue by the combination of absorption and scattering:

whose average value is s = 1/µ_t where µ_t = µ_a + µ_s. A random number (rnd) is specified and used to sample p(s):

The current position (x, y, z) is updated by the projections of s onto each of the x, y, and z axes. For example, x += s * us means x = x + s*us.

/**** HOP
   Take step to new position
   s = stepsize
   ux, uy, uz specify current photon trajectory
*****/
  while ((rnd = RandomNum) < = 0.0);   /* yields 0 < rnd < = 1 */
  s = -log(rnd)/(mua + mus);          /* Step size.  Note: log() is base e */
  x += s * ux;                        /* Update positions. */
  y += s * uy;
  z += s * uz;