Method to quantitatively estimate wavelength-dependent scattering properties from multidiameter single fiber reflectance spectra measured in a turbid medium

This study utilizes experimentally validated Monte Carlo simulations to identify a mathematical formulation of the reflectance intensity collected by a single fiber probe expressed in terms of the reduced scattering coefficient (mu'(s)), fiber diameter d(fiber), and a property of the first two moments of the scattering phase function (gamma). This model is then utilized to accurately obtain wavelength-dependent estimates of mu'(s)(lambda) and gamma(lambda) from multiple single fiber spectral measurements of a turbid medium obtained with different diameters. This method returns accurate descriptions (mean residual <3%) of both mu'(s) and gamma across the biologically relevant range. (C) 2011 Optical Society of America