Solid hemoglobin-polymer phantoms for evaluation of biophotonic systems

Area of Science:

• Biophotonics
• Biomaterials Science
• Polymer Chemistry

Background:

• Developing stable tissue phantoms with accurate hemoglobin spectral absorption is crucial for advancing biophotonic technologies.
• Existing phantoms often lack the necessary optical properties for reliable device testing and standardization.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a novel polymer material that incorporates hemoglobin for use in tissue-simulating phantoms.
• To create a stable material with optical properties mimicking biological tissues for biophotonic applications.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of solid hemoglobin-polymer (SHP) material by mixing liquid silicone base with hemoglobin solution.
• Characterization of optical properties (450-1000 nm) using inverse adding-doubling method and Beer-Lambert law.
• Assessment of optical stability over four months and demonstration of utility via near-infrared spectroscopy and hyperspectral imaging.

Main Results:

• Successful fabrication of a novel solid hemoglobin-polymer (SHP) material.
• Demonstrated optical stability of the SHP material over a four-month period.
• Validated the material's utility for near-infrared spectroscopy and hyperspectral imaging applications.

Conclusions:

• The developed SHP material offers a stable and reliable platform for creating tissue-simulating phantoms.
• This novel material has significant potential to improve the development, evaluation, and standardization of optical devices, particularly for oximetry.
• SHP materials represent a promising advancement in biomaterials for biophotonic research and development.