Mueller-matrix imaging polarimetry elevated by wavelet decomposition and polarization-singular processing for analysis of specific cancerous tissue pathology.

Significance: Mueller-matrix polarimetry is a powerful method allowing for the visualization of malformations in biological tissues and quantitative evaluation of alterations associated with the progression of various diseases. This approach, in fact, is limited in observation of spatial localization and scale-selective changes in the poly-crystalline compound of tissue samples. Aim: We aimed to improve the Mueller-matrix polarimetry approach by implementing the wavelet decomposition accompanied with the polarization-singular processing for express differential diagnosis of local changes in the poly-crystalline structure of tissue samples with various pathology. Approach: Mueller-matrix maps obtained experimentally in transmitted mode are processed utilizing a combination of a topological singular polarization approach and scale-selective wavelet analysis for quantitative assessment of the adenoma and carcinoma histological sections of the prostate tissues. Results: A relationship between the characteristic values of the Mueller-matrix elements and singular states of linear and circular polarization is established within the framework of the phase anisotropy phenomenological model in terms of linear birefringence. A robust method for expedited (up to ∼15 min) polarimetric-based differential diagnosis of local variations in the poly-crystalline structure of tissue samples containing various pathology abnormalities is introduced. Conclusions: The benign and malignant states of the prostate tissue are identified and assessed quantitatively with a superior accuracy provided by the developed Mueller-matrix polarimetry approach.

Mueller-matrix-based polarization imaging and quantitative assessment of optically anisotropic polycrystalline networks.

We introduce a Mueller-matrix imaging polarization-based approach for the quantitative digital screening of the polycrystalline structure of fibrillary-based biological tissues in vitro. The morphometric evaluation of histological sections of myocardium was performed utilizing the high-order statistical moments calculated based on the spatial distribution of linear and circular birefringence and dichroism obtained experimentally. We demonstrate that spatial distributions of phase of light and optical anisotropy of scattering inherent to fibrillar networks of myocardium at different necrotic stages can be effectively used as a quantitative marker of stages of myosin fibril degradation. Processing the images of phase of light scattered in biological tissues with high order statistical analysis provides a functional tool for the quantitative characterization of necrotic conditions of the myocardium.