We developed a Monte Carlo-based simulator of optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging for turbid media with arbitrary spatial distributions. This simulator allows computation of both Class I diffusive reflectance due to ballistic and quasiballistic scattered photons and Class II diffusive reflectance due to multiple scattered photons. It was implemented using a tetrahedron-based mesh and importance sampling to significantly reduce computational time. Our simulation results were verified by comparing them with results from two previously validated OCT simulators for multilayered media. We present simulation results for OCT imaging of a sphere inside a background slab, which would not have been possible with earlier simulators. We also discuss three important aspects of our simulator: (1) resolution, (2) accuracy, and (3) computation time. Our simulator could be used to study important OCT phenomena and to design OCT systems with improved performance.

The sick preterm infant monitoring is an intriguing job that medical staff in Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU) must deal with on a daily basis. As a standards monitoring procedure, preterm infants are monitored via sensors and electrodes that are firmly attached to their fragile and delicate skin and connected to processing monitors. However, an alternative exists in contactless imaging to record such physiological signals (we call it as Physio-Markers), detecting superficial changes and internal structures activities which can be used independently of, or aligned with, conventional monitors. Countless advantages can be gained from unobtrusive monitoring not limited to: (1) quick data generation; (2) decreasing physical and direct contact with skin, which reduces skin breakdown and minimizes risk of infection; and (3) reduction of electrodes and probes connected to clinical monitors and attached to the skin, which allows greater body surface-area for better care. This review is an attempt to build a solid ground for and to provide a clear perspective of the potential clinical applications of technologies inside NICUs that use contactless imaging modalities such as Visible Light Imaging (VLI), Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS), and Infrared Thermography (IRT).