Quantification by random walk of the optical parameters of nonlocalized abnormalities embedded within tissuelike phantoms

We have extended a random-walk theory that uses time-dependent contrast fun ctions to quantify the cross section and the corrected scattering and absor ption coefficients of abnormal nonlocalized targets from time-of-flight (TO F) data obtained in time-resolved transillumination experiments. Experiment al TOF's are used to show that this newly developed random-walk method is a ble to quantify the size and the optical properties of embedded nonlocalize d targets in with an error rate of less than or equal to 25%. (C) 2000 Opti cal Society of America.