3-D interactive visualization of light-tissue interaction using Java']Java

Medical therapeutic applications using lasers involves understanding the light tissue interaction, in particular the rate of photochemical and thermal reactions. Tissue is composed of a mix of turbid media. Light propagation in turbid media can be described by the so-called Equation of Radiative Transfer, an integro-differential equation where scattering, absorption and internal reflection are significant factors in determining the light distribution in tissue. The Equation of Radiative Transfer however can not commonly be solved analytically. In order to visualize and simulate the effects of laser light on heart tissues (myocardium) in relation to the treatment of irregular heart rates or so called arrhythmias, a fast interactive computer program has been developed in Java.