Estimation of light transport parameters in biological media using coherent backscattering

The suitability of using the angular peak shape of the coherent backscatter ed light for estimating the light transport parameters of biological media has been investigated. Milk and methylene blue doped milk were used as tiss ue phantoms for the measurements carried out with a He-Ne laser (632.8 nm). Results indicate that while the technique accurately estimates the transpo rt length, it can determine the absorption coefficient only when the absorp tion is moderately high (alpha > 1 cm(-1)) for the long transport lengths t ypical of tissues. Further, the possibility of determining the anisotropy f actor by estimating the single scattering contribution to the diffuse backg round is examined.