A diffraction tomographic model of the forward problem using diffuse photon density waves.

We present a model of the forward problem for diffuse photon density waves in turbid medium using a diffraction tomographic problem formulation. We consider a spatially-varying inhomogeneous structure whose absorption properties satisfy the Born approximation and whose scattering properties are identical to the homogeneous turbid media in which it is imbedded. The two-dimensional Fourier transform of the scattered field, measured in a plane, is shown to be related to the three-dimensional Fourier transform of the object evaluated on a surface which in many cases is approximately a plane.