Abstract: The applications of nanoparticles in optical techniques of diagnosis and treatment of biological tissues are increasing. Image contrast can be improved in diagnostic approaches such as fluorescence, spectroscopy or optical coherence tomography. The therapeutic effect can be increased if nanoparticles are previously incorporated in the biological tissue. This is the case in thermotherapy, or in Photodynamic Therapy. All these applications take advantage of specific properties of the nanoparticles involved, either optical up- or down-conversion, thermal confinement or the ability to act as a drug-carrier. Although many biomedical applications that involve nanoparticles are being proposed and tested, there is a need to take into account the influence of those nanoparticles on optical radiation propagation. The previously mentioned optical treatment and diagnosis techniques assume a particular optical propagation pattern, which is altered by the addition of nanoparticles. This change depends on the nanoparticle material, shape, size and concentration, among other parameters. In order to try to quantify these changes, in this work several phantoms that include different nanoparticles are analyzed, in order to estimate the influence of nanoparticles in optical propagation. A theoretical model of optical propagation, which takes into account the absorption and scattering changes in the medium, is also considered. Nanoparticles of different sizes from 40 nm to 1µm are analyzed. Nanoparticle materials of interest in biomedical applications are employed. The results are relevant in diagnosis interpretation of images and treatment outcome evaluation when nanoparticles are present.

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