Analysis and optimization of a diffuse photon optical tomography of turbidmedia

In a numerical study, we investigate a diffuse-photon computed tomography o f a turbid medium. Using a perturbation approach, we relate through a matri x K a bulk heterogeneous distribution of the optical absorption coefficient mu(a) that characterizes the heterogeneity in an otherwise homogeneous tur bid medium to the diffuse photon flux that emerges from its surface. By stu dying the condition number (N-C) of the matrix K as a function of illuminat ion-detection schemes and choices of reconstruction grids, we explore strat egies that optimize the fidelity and spatial resolution of the computed tom ography.