Application of sphere-cylinder scattering model to skeletal muscle

By comparing the spatially resolved unpolarized, polarized reflectance and Mueller matrix elements of skeletal muscle with a scattering medium containing polystyrene microspheres and silk fibers, we demonstrate that the sphere-cylinder scattering model (SCSM) can reproduce the characteristic features of skeletal muscle. Both experiments and polarization sensitive Monte Carlo simulation provide evidences that SCSM may be used to characterize the structural and optical properties of skeletal muscle. (C) 2010 Optical Society of America