3D Mueller-matrix-based azimuthal invariant tomography of polycrystalline structure within benign and malignant soft-tissue tumours

We introduce a method of azimuthally invariant 3D Mueller-matrix (MM) layer-by-layer mapping of the phase and amplitude parameters of anisotropy of the partially depolarizing layers of benign (adenoma) and malignant (carcinoma) prostate tumours. The technique is based on the analysis of spatial variations of Mueller matrix invariant (MMI) of histological sections of benign (adenoma) and malignant (carcinoma) tissue samples. The phase dependence of magnitudes of the first-to-fourth order statistical moments is applied to characterize 3D spatial distributions of MMI of linear and circular birefringence and dichroism of prostate tumours. The high order statistical moments and phase sections of the optimal differentiation of the polycrystalline structure of tissue samples are revealed. The obtained results are compared with the results obtained by conventional methods utilizing polarized light, including 2D and 3D Mueller matrix imaging. (letter)