Abstract

Recently, confocal imaging of reflected light has been proposed as a method to obtain noninvasive microscopic image of unstained tissue in vivo.¹ The design of a system with the highest possible contrast requires an understanding of tissue optical properties at the microscopic level. Two potential sources of contrast in reflected-light images at the microscopic scale are changes in the index of refraction and changes in optical properties. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relative change required to produce measurable contrast from each of these sources when scattering media are imaged.

© 1995 Optical Society of America