Comparison of polarized-light propagation in biological tissue and phantoms

We demonstrate significant differences in the propagation of polarized ligh t through biological tissue compared with two common tissue phantoms. Depol arization of linearly and circularly polarized light was measured versus pr opagation distance by use of two independent measurement techniques. The me asurements were performed on adipose and myocardial tissues and on tissue p hantoms that consisted of polystyrene microsphere suspensions and Intralipi d. The results indicate that, in contrast with results obtained in tissue p hantoms, linearly polarized light survives through longer propagation dista nces than circularly polarized light in biological tissue. (C) 1999 Optical Society of America.