Investigation of anisotropic scattering for optical tomography in biological tissues

Photons with wavelengths in near infrared region are used in optical tomography. Radiation transport theory should be preferred instead of diffusion theory for numerical modelling of photon migration in biological tissues, where diffusion theory is invalid. For example, diffusion theory is not sufficient in the regions of close to boundaries, sources or sinks and highly absorbing or void-like media. Also anisotropic scattering must be considered in the numerical models since scattering is generally highly anisotropic in biological tissues. In addition to the absorption and scattering coefficients, a suitable phase function must be known in anisotropic scattering study. Here we have compared scattering phase functions for anisotropy. Then we have calculated Legendre moments which are necessary for the implementation of anisotropy factors into the transport code, PARTISN. Discrete ordinates method (SN) has been used in the transport calculations. We have obtained solutions first a homogeneous and then heterogeneous medium.