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Fluorescence photon migration by the boundary element method

Journal Article · · Journal of Computational Physics
 [1];  [2];  [1];  [3];  [3]
  1. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT 05405 (United States)
  2. Department of Computer Science, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT 05405 (United States)
  3. Photon Migration Laboratories, Department of Chemistry, Texas A and M University, College Station, TX 77842-3012 (United States)
The use of the boundary element method (BEM) is explored as an alternative to the finite element method (FEM) solution methodology for the elliptic equations used to model the generation and transport of fluorescent light in highly scattering media, without the need for an internal volume mesh. The method is appropriate for domains where it is reasonable to assume the fluorescent properties are regionally homogeneous, such as when using highly specific molecularly targeted fluorescent contrast agents in biological tissues. In comparison to analytical results on a homogeneous sphere, BEM predictions of complex emission fluence are shown to be more accurate and stable than those of the FEM. Emission fluence predictions made with the BEM using a 708-node mesh, with roughly double the inter-node spacing of boundary nodes as in a 6956-node FEM mesh, match experimental frequency-domain fluorescence emission measurements acquired on a 1087 cm{sup 3} breast-mimicking phantom at least as well as those of the FEM, but require only 1/8 to 1/2 the computation time.
OSTI ID:
20687264
Journal Information:
Journal of Computational Physics, Journal Name: Journal of Computational Physics Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 210; ISSN JCTPAH; ISSN 0021-9991
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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