Ultrasound modulated optical tomography in scattering media: flux filtering based on persistent spectral hole burning in the optical diagnosis window

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel ultrasound modulated optical tomography method using spectral hole burning in Tm:YAG crystals, achieving higher contrast and faster imaging in scattering media by leveraging persistent spectral filtering.

Contribution

It presents a new spectral filtering technique for UOT based on spectral hole burning, enhancing imaging contrast and speed in scattering media.

Findings

Higher contrast in phantom imaging

Faster imaging frame rate achieved

Effective discrimination of tissue types

Abstract

Ultrasound modulated optical tomography (UOT) is a powerful imaging technique to discriminate healthy from unhealthy biological tissues based on their optical signature. Among the numerous detection techniques developed for acousto-optic imaging, only those based on spectral filtering are intrinsically immune to speckle decorrelation. This paper reports on UOT imaging based on spectral hole burning in Tm:YAG crystal under a moderate magnetic field (200G) with a well-defined orientation. The deep and long-lasting holes translate into a more efficient UOT imaging with a higher contrast and faster imaging frame rate. We demonstrate the potential of this method by imaging calibrated phantom scattering gels.