Semi-three-dimensional algorithm for time-resolved diffuse optical tomography by use of the generalized pulse spectrum technique

Although a full three-dimensional (3-D) reconstruction with both 3-D forward and inverse models provides the optimal solution for diffuse optical tomography (DOT), because of the 3-D nature of photon diffusion in tissue, it is computationally costly for both memory requirement and execution time in a conventional computing environment. Thus in practice there is motivation to develop an image reconstruction algorithm with dimensional reduction based on some modeling approximations. Here we have implemented a semi-3-D modified generalized pulse spectrum technique for time-resolved DOT, where a two-dimensional (2-D) distribution of optical properties is approximately assumed, while we retain 3-D distribution of photon migration in tissue. We have validated the proposed algorithm by reconstructing 3-D structural test objects from both numerically simulated and experimental data. We demonstrate our algorithm by comparing it with the calibrated 2-D reconstruction that is in widespread use as a shortcut to 3-D imaging and proving that the semi-3-D algorithm outperforms the calibrated 2-D algorithm. © 2002 Optical Society of America.