Perturbation approach to the time-resolved transmittance for a spatially varying scattering inclusion in a diffusive slab

In the framework of the perturbation approach to the diffusion equation, an analytical expression is derived to describe the effects on the time-resolved transmittance due to the presence of a spatially varying scattering inclusion hidden inside a diffusive slab. This formula assumes that the reduced scattering coefficient of the inclusion is spatially Gaussian distributed and complements that obtained for the absorptive case. The accuracy and the application range of the perturbed transmittance are investigated through comparisons with the numerical solutions of the time-dependent diffusion equation given by using the finite-element method. The proposed perturbation model is validated through a fitting procedure that determines the relative error in retrieving the scattering perturbation parameter of the inclusion located at the midplane of the slab. (c) 2006 Optical Society of America.