Time-resolved Fourier optical diffuse tomography is a novel approach for im
aging of objects in a highly scattering turbid medium with use of an incide
nt (near) plane wave. The theory of the propagation of spatial Fourier comp
onents of the scattered wave field is presented, along with a fast algorith
m for three-dimensional reconstruction in a parallel planar geometry. Examp
les of successful reconstructions of simulated hidden absorptive or scatter
ing objects embedded inside a human-tissue-like semi-infinite turbid medium
are provided. (C) 2001 Optical Society of America.