Spectral- and time-resolved optical mammography by means of a pulsed supercontinuum ligth source

The clinical feasibility of time-resolved diffuse optical mammography exploiting a broad-band system is for the first time demonstrated. The instrument is based on supercontinuum light generated by a photonic crystal fiber as light source and on a parallel 32-channel timecorrelated single-photon-counting detection chain for the collection stage. The measurement time is kept as low as about 5-10 minutes, being in this way compliant for clinical application. First images performed on healthy volunteers are shown. Furthermore, the ability of the system to determine tissue constituents and structural parameters by a fully spectral analysis procedure has been tested. © 2006 Optical Society of America.