Visualizing of skin chromophore concentrations by use of RGB images

A method is proposed for visualizing simply the concentrations of melanin, oxygenated blood, and deoxygenated blood in skin tissue using digital RGB images. The total blood concentration and oxygen saturation can also be reconstructed. Monte Carlo simulation of light transport specifies a relation between the chromophore concentrations and Commission Internationale de l'Eclairage XYZ, which are compatible with the common RGB working space. Experiments with a tissuelike agar gel phantom demonstrated the possibility of the method. In vivo imaging of a human hand during forearm occlusion demonstrated the ability of the method to evaluate hemodynamics of skin tissue. (C) 2008 Optical Society of America