Application driven assessment of probe designs for Raman spectroscopy

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Optics
• Spectroscopy
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• In vivo Raman spectroscopy offers non-invasive tissue assessment.
• Fiber optic probes are essential for collecting Raman signals.
• Probe design critically influences signal depth and quality.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate four distinct fiber optic probe geometries for in vivo Raman spectroscopy.
• To model and experimentally validate probe performance for superficial and deep tissue signal collection.
• To optimize probe design for improved data quality and reduced costs.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a Monte Carlo model incorporating Raman scattering and fluorescence.
• Simulated four distinct fiber optic probe geometries.
• Performed experimental validation using biological tissues.
• Compared simulations with and without optical scattering.

Main Results:

• Microlens probes showed enhanced shallow depth performance (< 1 mm).
• Beampath-modified probes yielded significantly more signal from deep tissue.
• Non-scattering simulations differed greatly from biological tissue simulations.
• Model predictions aligned with experimental validation.

Conclusions:

• Fiber optic probe design significantly impacts in vivo Raman spectroscopy signal depth.
• Considering tissue optical properties is crucial for effective probe design.
• The presented model aids in optimizing novel probe designs, reducing development time and cost.