A hybrid EFG-FE analysis for DOT forward problem

This paper presents an approach based on combination of Element Free Galerkin (EFG) method and Finite Element (FE) method in Diffuse Optical Tomography (DOT) forward problem. DOT is a non-invasive imaging modality for visualizing and continuously monitoring tissue and blood oxygenation levels in brain and breast. The image reconstruction algorithm in DOT involves generating images by means of forward modeling results and the boundary measurements. The ability of the forward model to generate the corresponding data efficiently has a significant role in DOT image reconstruction. FE technique using a fixed mesh is one of the most typical techniques for solving the diffusion equation in the DOT forward problem. However, in some medical applications, meshing task is difficult and the shape and size of elements make a further approximation in the forward problem. Mesh free Galerkin approach is also utilized in DO T, but imposing essential boundary conditions is difficult. In this paper, an approach based on combination of the two methods is used. The validity of the proposed method is investigated by simulation results.