Assessing absorption coefficient of hemoglobin in the breast phantom using near-infrared spectroscopy

Background: blood concentrations and oxygen saturation levels are important biomarkers for breast cancer diagnosis. objectives: in this study,the absorption coefficient of hemoglobin (hb) was used to distinguish between normal and abnormal breast tissue. materials and methods: a near-infrared source (637 nm) was transmitted from major and minor vessels of a breast phantom containing 2�,4� concentrations of oxy- and deoxy-hb. the absorption coefficients were determined from spectrometer (sm) and powermeter (pm) data. results: the absorption coefficients were 0.075 � 0.026 cm-1 for oxygenated hb (normal) in major vessels and 0.141 � 0.023 cm-1 at 4� concentration (abnormal) with sm,whereas the breast absorption coefficients were 0.099 � 0.017 cm-1 for oxygenated hb (normal) in minor vessels and 0.171 � 0.005 cm-1 at 4� concentrations with sm. a comparison of the data obtained using a sm and a pm was not significant statistically. conclusion: the study of the absorption coefficient data of different concentrations of hb in normal and abnormal breasts via the diffusion of near-infrared light is a valuable method and has the potential to aid in early detection of breast abnormalities with sm and pm in major and minor vessels. � 2016,tehran university of medical sciences and iranian society of radiology.