Mueller Coherency matrix method for contrast image in tissue polarimetry

Abstract

In this work, we propose the use of the Mueller Coherency matrix of biological tissues in order to increase the information from tissue images and so their contrast. This method involves different Mueller Coherency matrix based parameters, like the eigenvalues analysis, the entropy factor calculation, polarization components crosstalks, linear and circular polarization degrees, hermiticity or the Quaternions analysis in case depolarisation properties of tissue are sufficiently low. All these parameters make information appear clearer and so increase image contrast, so pathologies like cancer could be detected in a sooner stage of development. The election will depend on the concrete pathological process under study. This Mueller Coherency matrix method can be applied to a single tissue point, or it can be combined with a tomographic technique, so as to obtain a 3D representation of polarization contrast parameters in pathological tissues. The application of this analysis to concrete diseases can lead to tissue burn depth estimation or cancer early detection.

Polarimetric imaging of biological tissues based on the indices of polarimetric purity

“…Therefore, we can assume that the diattenuation effects of the sample are negligible, and the diattenuation information is not useful to improve the image contrast in this case. This result is in agreement with other studies in the literature , where most polarimetric analyses dealing with biological tissues focusses on retardance and depolarization.…”

“…Different polarimetric studies of biological samples have shown that retardance and depolarization are the main polarimetric channels providing significant information of tissues . In addition, the information of samples encoded in the polarization of light strongly depends on the particular structure to be analyzed.…”

“…In the last decades, imaging polarimetry has shown its potential in biomedical applications . This approach has led to enhanced image contrast of samples , and it has provided constitutive information of biological structures . As an example, polarimetric imaging allows determining the organization and density of fibers in tissues , describing the scattering mechanisms in biological samples , determining the degree of birefringence of different structures and so on.…”