Computations of time-dependent photon migration for biomedical optical imaging.

In summary, Table II is a listing of the pitfalls and advantages of using Monte Carlo simulations and numerical solution of the diffusion equation to describe photon migration in tissues. Judicious use of these techniques to describe the solution to the forward imaging problem may allow determination of the best theoretical resolution and the smallest detectable volume for the range of optical property differences expected in situ or imposed by contrast agent administration. Furthermore, an understanding of the forward imaging problem through these numerical techniques also contributes to our understanding of the most efficient solution to the inverse imaging problem.