Enhancing Time-Domain Optical Mammography by Relocating Optodes

Breast diffuse optical tomography is now highly expected as a potential routine inspection means for the high specificity and safety. Many efforts have been put to overcome its intrinsic adversities, such as low spatial resolution and quantitativeness. In this study, we propose a technique for enhancing image reconstruction of time-domain breast diffuse optical tomography (DOT). The technique uses finite-element-method (FEM) solution to the Laplace-transformed diffusion equation as the forward model, and an inverse model of Newton-Raphson iterative scheme. Through a target location that is provided by the preliminary image that is reconstructed using global optode arrangement or other techniques, we can obtain a more accurate image reconstruction by relocating all the optodes within the targeted region. The simulative experiments show that the performance of reconstructed image is evidently improved by the aid of the optodes relocation strategy.