Correlation transfer equation for multiply scattered light modulated by an ultrasonic pulse

We develop a temporal correlation transfer equation (CTE) and a Monte Carlo algorithm (MC) for multiply scattered light modulated by an ultrasonic pulse propagating in an optically scattering medium, where the ultrasound field can be nonuniform and the medium can have spatially heterogeneous distribution of optical parameters. The CTE and MC can be used to obtain the time-varying specific intensity and the spatial distribution of the time-dependent power spectral density, respectively, of ultrasound-modulated light. We expect the CTE and MC to be applicable for estimation of contrast and resolution in a wide spectrum of conditions in ultrasound-modulated optical tomography of soft biological tissues. (c) 2007 Optical Society of America.