A Raster Scanning Reflectance Imager for Non-Model Based Quantification of Tissue Scatter

It has been shown that locally resolved reflectance measurements can directly quantify scatter changes in tissues without the need for computationally expensive model-based reconstruction schemes. Imaging systems exploiting non-model based reconstruction schemes are faster compared to the conventional model based schemes and thus have the potential for imaging tissue pathologies in real-time. In this report, the scanning system is described in terms of the design, construction and testing for multi-wavelength reflectance imaging capable of measuring scatter changes with 100 micron resolution of tissue. Imaging fields of up to 256 by 256 pixels were used in this current system, with a design for a 100 micron spot to allow sampling of the local scatter values in this size of region. Tissue phantoms with varying scattering and absorption profiles within the region of interest were used to test the performance of this system. The results demonstrate the ability of the instrument to measure scatter changes independent of local absorber concentration. This new scanning system should allow visualization of tumor-associated scatter changes in situ, with full spectral resolution across the visible range.