Performance of diffusion theory vs. Monte Carlo methods

摘要

A reliable theoretical model is essential to reveal information from measured reflectance spectra. Currently, Monte Carlo simulation (MC) is the most popular technique to retrieve optical tissue parameters. However, optical diffusion theory provides an analytic approach that might supersede MC methods due to faster, more efficient algorithms. Diffuse skin reflectance in the 400-800 nm wavelength range was simulated by Monte Carlo and diffusion theory. The impact of detection geometry and source distribution was investigated, and experimental data from bruised and normal skin were fitted using a three layer diffusion model. Spectra from diffusion theory were within 5% of the MC results, and the fit between the two methods was further improved by scaling the dermal absorption parameters with a constant factor. The measurement geometry was found to be of minor impact. Diffusion theory was found to have wide applicability due to fast, efficient algorithms that allow efficient evaluation of experimental data.