EPSRC logo

Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference: GR/R19434/01
Title: Scattering In the Presence of Spectral and Spatial Inhomogeneities
Principal Investigator: French, Professor P
Other Investigators:
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Dr K Tahir
Project Partners:
National University of Ireland (NUI)
Department: Physics
Organisation: Imperial College London
Scheme: Standard Research (Pre-FEC)
Starts: 01 January 2001 Ends: 30 June 2004 Value (£): 207,552
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:
Lasers & Optics
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:
Healthcare
Related Grants:
Panel History:  
Summary on Grant Application Form
Early research on the application of near infrared light transmission raised hopes that it might be possible to image damaged or malignant tissue with in the body using light by optical tomography, or at the very least to monitor parameters such as blood oxygenation levels: such hopes have not been fulfilled. The fundamental issue is one of calibration and normalisation, since qualitative data on the scattering or absorption proper1ies are unlikely to be of significant clinical value. In this regard, the critical scattering issue lies in regions where the propagation lies between ballistic and fully diffuse. Unlike most approaches to this subject, which star1 with lifelike geometries and ad hoc scattering theory (such as diffusion theory), we aim to investigate this problem by using a very simple, (for example, slab or cylindrical) geometry but employing a exact approach to the scattering problem (electromagnetic theory or radiation transpor1 theory) and considering a more general inhomogeneous medium, for example one with spectrally, as well as spatially, varying absorption and scattering. The spectral variation is not only impor1ant for techniques based on fluoresence but is also fundamental to any final usefulness, since almost cer1ainly one would use prior knowledge of the spectral characteristics to assist the solution to the inverse problem of reconstructing the scattering proper1ies of the medium. The hope is that a more fundamental approach, detached but not unmindful of the eventual practical applications, will make progress that has eluded more direct approaches.
Key Findings
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
Potential use in non-academic contexts
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
Impacts
Description This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
Summary
Date Materialised
Sectors submitted by the Researcher
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
Project URL:  
Further Information:  
Organisation Website: http://www.imperial.ac.uk