Accelerated SPAD-Based Diffuse Optical Tomography with Data-Driven View Optimization

Time-domain diffuse optical tomography (TD-DOT) is a non-invasive technique that utilizes near-infrared light to visualize the optical properties in tissues, showing promising applications in tumor diagnosis and functional brain imaging. The integration of advanced SPAD arrays delivers superior data quality characterized by picosecond timing precision and increased detection channels, enabling high-fidelity reconstruction of unmixed absorption and scattering properties. These gains, however, come with longer acquisition and computation times. We introduce a data-driven view-optimization strategy that exploits the statistical richness of time-resolved measurements to reduce the number of views without sacrificing image quality. We developed a noncontact TD-DOT combining a pulsed laser, a SPAD array, and a rotational stage for view selection. Simulations and phantom experiments show that the proposed method accelerates TD-DOT while maintaining robust reconstruction, comparable to those from full-view acquisition. The accelerated TD-DOT is valuable for monitoring biological dynamics, such as cerebral hemodynamics.