| Title: |
Flexible polarimetric probe for 3 × 3 Mueller matrix measurements of biological tissue |
| Authors: |
Forward, Sarah; Gribble, Adam; Alali, Sanaz; Lindenmaier, Andras A.; Vitkin, I. Alex |
| Source: |
Scientific Reports ; volume 7, issue 1 ; ISSN 2045-2322 |
| Publisher Information: |
Springer Science and Business Media LLC |
| Publication Year: |
2017 |
| Description: |
Polarimetry is a noninvasive method that uses polarised light to assess biophysical characteristics of tissues. A series of incident polarisation states illuminates a biological sample, and analysis of sample-altered polarisation states enables polarimetric tissue assessment. The resultant information can, for example, help quantitatively differentiate healthy from pathologic tissue. However, most bio-polarimetric assessments are performed using free-space optics with bulky optical components. Extension to flexible fibre-based systems is clinically desirable, but is challenging due to polarisation-altering properties of optical fibres. Here, we propose a flexible fibre-based polarimetric solution, and describe its design, fabrication, calibration, and initial feasibility demonstration in ex vivo tissue. The design is based on a flexible fibre bundle of six multimode optical fibres, each terminated with a distal polariser that ensures pre-determined output polarisation states. The resultant probe enables linear 3 × 3 Mueller matrix characterization of distal tissue. Potential in vivo Mueller matrix polarimetric tissue examinations in various directly-inaccessible body cavities are envisioned. |
| Document Type: |
article in journal/newspaper |
| Language: |
English |
| DOI: |
10.1038/s41598-017-12099-8 |
| Availability: |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-12099-8; https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-017-12099-8.pdf; https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-017-12099-8 |
| Rights: |
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 ; https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 |
| Accession Number: |
edsbas.67F5647D |
| Database: |
BASE |