A Time Domain Fluorescence Tomography System for Small Animal Imaging

We describe the application of a time domain diffuse fluorescence tomography system for whole body small animal imaging. The key features of the system are the use of point excitation in free space using ultrashort laser pulses and noncontact detection using a gated, intensified charge-coupled device (CCD) camera. Mouse shaped epoxy phantoms, with embedded fluorescent inclusions, were used to verify the performance of a recently developed asymptotic lifetime-based tomography algorithm. The asymptotic algorithm is based on a multiexponential analysis of the decay portion of the data. The multiexponential model is shown to enable the use of a global analysis approach for a robust recovery of the lifetime components present within the imaging medium. The surface boundaries of the imaging volume were acquired using a photogrammetric camera integrated with the imaging system, and implemented in a Monte-Carlo model of photon propagation in tissue. The tomography results show that the asympto...

• Type: Journal
• Year: 2008
• Where: TMI
• Authors: Anand T. N. Kumar, Scott B. Raymond, Andrew K. Dunn, Brian J. Bacskai, David A. Boas
• Keywords: Body Small Animal, Fluorescent Inclusions, Time Domain, TMI 2008