A numerical convolution approach to modelling photon diffusion in highly scattering media

A numerical method of modelling photon diffusion in highly scattering media, such as biological tissues, is presented. The method utilises a numerical convolution of a discretely sampled Gaussian distribution, representing the diffusive scattering of the media for a given time duration, with a distribution that represents the spatial intensity profile within the media at a given time. The resultant distribution is the expected spatial intensity profile after that time duration. To date, the numerical model has been used to generate temporal point spread functions of simple geometries. The results show good agreement with those obtained from Monte Carlo simulations. The technique is versatile, in that it is not constrained by the geometry of the medium