In Vivo Optical Imaging of the Female Breast

Abstract

Due to its non-ionizing nature, optical mammography could be a very attractive alternative to X-ray screening. We have developed a CW optical tomography apparatus with which three-dimensional images of breasts can be obtained in vivo. It measures the attenuation coefficient κ=3μ a μ s ' of the breast tissue. The magnitude of the reduced scattering coefficient μ s ' in breast tissue is approximately 1 mm-1 and varies less than the absorption coefficient μ a .