Abstract
The first derivative of the pseudo-absorption spectrum of a water-loaded cotton wool (water–CW) phantom, which mimics muscle tissues, was used to determine the light path length in the near-infrared (NIR) region. The light path length increased as the density of the turbid medium decreased. It is independent of both water content in the range of 75–85% (by weight) and the diffuse reflecting reference used to determine the pseudoabsorbance. The path length determination procedure was verified by measurements of diffuse reflectance in chicken breast tissue for which the path length of 1.8 mm (differential path length factor, DPF = 2.1) was found to be similar to the path length of NIR light of 1.5–2.2 mm (DPF = 1.8–2.6) in a water–CW phantom of density similar to chicken breast. We conclude that the NIR light path length can serve as a characteristic of muscle tissue density.
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