Mueller matrix decomposition for polarized light assessment of biological tissues

Abstract

The Mueller matrix represents the transfer function of an optical system in its interactions with polarized light and its elements relate to specific biologically or clinically relevant properties. However, when many optical polarization effects occur simultaneously, the resulting matrix elements represent several "lumped" effects, thus hindering their unique interpretation. Currently, no methods exist to extract these individual properties in turbid media. Here, we present a novel application of a Mueller matrix decomposition methodology that achieves this objective. The methodology is validated theoretically via a novel polarized-light propagation model, and experimentally in tissue simulating phantoms. The potential of the approach is explored for two specific biomedical applications: monitoring of changes in myocardial tissues following regenerative stem cell therapy, through birefringence-induced retardation of the light's linear and circular polarizations, and non-invasive blood glucose measurements through chirality-induced rotation of the light's linear polarization. Results demonstrate potential for both applications.

Pol-SAR Classification Based on Generalized Polar Decomposition of Mueller Matrix

“…where the retardance R andR are the norm and normalized vector, respectively; a 1 , a 2 , a 3 are the real components ofR, and the corresponding retarder is given by [1], [2], [4] …”

“…In addition, they are also used in plasma physics, LED technology, and microwave transmission systems [1]. Recently, they have been deployed in biomedical applications, such as the measurement of noninvasive tissue glucose levels, monitoring regenerative treatments of myocardial infarction, and distinguishing normal and cancerous gastric samples [2].…”

The polar decomposition method in the polarimetric study of light scattered by deterministic profiles and dense media

“…Estas muestras pretenden simular el efecto de la interacción de la luz con tejidos orgánicos, ampliamente analizados en biología y medicina [11]. Para su elaboración fueron utilizadas cubetas de laboratorio Hellma de base cuadrada, con una capacidad de 3.5 ml y 10 mm de lado.…”

“…La simulación del comportamiento de los tejidos biológicos para la obtención de datos "in vivo", está siendo el objeto de diversos análisis polarimétricos recientes en grupos de investigación dedicados a biología y medicina [5,11]. El carácter quiral y de medio denso (es decir, dispersor y selectivamente absorbente) de los tejidos puede ser simulado mediante disolución de sales o azúcares en sustancias que contienen partículas en suspensión.…”

Turbid medium polarimetry in biomedical imaging and diagnosis

“…Additional theoretical validation tests were also performed on Monte Carlo-generated Mueller matrices [70]. Following successful validation, this approach was explored for monitoring of myocardial tissue regeneration following stem cell therapy (through linear birefringence measurement and quantification) with early indications showing promise for polarized light monitoring of regenerative treatment of heart [71]. Initial studies on the use of this approach for quantification of optical rotation caused by chiral molecules in turbid medium (like, for example, glucose in human tissue) have also yielded very encouraging results [71].…”