Mapping pigmentation in human skin from a multi-channel visible spectrum image by inverse optical scattering technique

Mapping pigmentation in human skin is expected to give useful information i n reproducing skin color and enhancing the ability to diagnose various skin disease. In this research, maps of melanin, oxy-hemoglobin and deoxy-hemog lobin in skin are estimated from multi-channel visible spectrum image by us ing an inverse optical scattering technique. In the inverse optical scatter ing technique, first of all, a forward model of optical scattering is built to simulate the spectral reflectance of skin. Changing the variable parame ters in the forward model, we repeat the simulation until the simulated spe ctral reflectance matches with the spectral reflectance at each pixel of th e multi-spectral image. The principle of the proposed estimation technique was confirmed by imaging the human forearm under conditions of the venous o cclusion, the venous and arterial occlusion, and by imaging a slapped regio n of the human forearm.