A theory of diffuse light scattering by lungs

Abstract

We present a theoretical treatment of backscattered light from the interior of a lung illuminated by a thin beam of light normally incident on the pleural surface. An approximate formula is developed describing how the backscattered intensity varies with distance from the point of light entry. This is shown to depend markedly on the optical mean free path and on the effective extinction coefficient. We attempt to relate the optical mean free path to the mean alveolar size. This relationship is found to depend primarily on septal reflection and refraction. Reflection is treated quantitatively. Refraction is much more difficult and may have to be approached empirically. We present here the rudiments of a technique with implications for the possibility of dynamic stereology.