Multi-layered tissue head phantoms for noninvasive optical diagnostics

Extensive research in the area of optical sensing for medical diagnostics requires development of tissue phantoms with optical properties similar to those of living human tissues. Development and improvement of in vivo optical measurement systems requires the use of tissue phantoms with known characteristics, which are mainly used for calibration of such systems and testing their performance. Optical and mechanical properties of phantoms depend on their purpose. Nevertheless, they must accurately simulate specific tissues they mimic. Most tissues possess a multi-layered structure, with specific optical properties of each layer. Likewise, the tissue phantoms must reflect such structure with variable parameters of the corresponding layers. In this paper, we present multi-layered phantoms with optical properties (scattering coefficient μ_s, absorption coefficient μ_a, and scattering anisotropy factor g) corresponding to the human head model layers, such as skin, skull, gray and white matter of the brain tissue. The phantom is intended for use in noninvasive near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) of humanbrain. Optical parameters of the fabricated phantoms are reconstructed using spectrophotometry and inverse adding-doubling calculation method.