• Toward fluorescence digital tw...

*Result*: Toward fluorescence digital twins: multi-parameter experimental validation of fluorescence Monte Carlo simulations using solid phantoms.

Title:
Toward fluorescence digital twins: multi-parameter experimental validation of fluorescence Monte Carlo simulations using solid phantoms.
Authors:
Nguyen MH; QUEL Imaging, White River Junction, Vermont, United States., LaRochelle EPM; QUEL Imaging, White River Junction, Vermont, United States., Robledo EA; QUEL Imaging, White River Junction, Vermont, United States., Ruiz AJ; QUEL Imaging, White River Junction, Vermont, United States.
Source:
Journal of biomedical optics [J Biomed Opt] 2025 Dec; Vol. 30 (Suppl 3), pp. S34104. Date of Electronic Publication: 2025 May 27.
Publication Type:
Journal Article; Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Language:
English
Journal Info:
Publisher: Published by SPIE--the International Society for Optical Engineering in cooperation with International Biomedical Optics Society Country of Publication: United States NLM ID: 9605853 Publication Model: Print-Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1560-2281 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 10833668 NLM ISO Abbreviation: J Biomed Opt Subsets: MEDLINE
Imprint Name(s):
Original Publication: Bellingham, WA : Published by SPIE--the International Society for Optical Engineering in cooperation with International Biomedical Optics Society, c1996-
MeSH Terms:
Optical Imaging*/methods , Optical Imaging*/instrumentation , Monte Carlo Method* , Phantoms, Imaging*, Surgery, Computer-Assisted/methods ; Fluorescent Dyes/chemistry ; Computer Simulation ; Fluorescence ; Printing, Three-Dimensional ; Reproducibility of Results ; Scattering, Radiation
References:
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Grant Information:
R44 EB029804 United States EB NIBIB NIH HHS; R43 EB029804 United States EB NIBIB NIH HHS; 75N91021C00035 United States CA NCI NIH HHS; 75N91023C00052 United States CA NCI NIH HHS
Contributed Indexing:
Keywords: Monte Carlo simulations; experimental validation; fluorescence; phantoms
Substance Nomenclature:
0 (Fluorescent Dyes)
Entry Date(s):
Date Created: 20250530 Date Completed: 20250530 Latest Revision: 20250814
Update Code:
20260130
PubMed Central ID:
PMC12119851
DOI:
10.1117/1.JBO.30.S3.S34104
PMID:
40443945
Database:
MEDLINE

*Further Information*

*Significance: As fluorescence-guided surgery (FGS) gains clinical adoption, robust and experimentally validated computational models for tissue fluorescence are increasingly essential. Although there have been several developments in modeling fluorescence with Monte Carlo simulations, the scope of the experimental validation has been limited in the parameters tested and phantoms used.
Aim: We aim to present and experimentally validate a graphics processing unit (GPU)-accelerated, voxel-based Monte Carlo fluorescence framework capable of modeling varying fluorophore concentrations, optical properties, and complex three-dimensional (3D) geometries.
Approach: A two-step approach (MCX-ExEm) based on Monte Carlo eXtreme was developed for simulating fluorescence. Both commercial reference targets and custom 3D-printed phantoms with well-characterized optical properties were imaged for varying parameters-including absorption, scattering, fluorophore concentrations, and geometries-and compared against simulations.
Results: Strong agreement is observed between simulated and experimental fluorescence across all tested parameters. MCX-ExEm accurately captures nonlinear quenching at high fluorophore concentrations, variations driven by scattering and absorption, intensity scaling with volume, and depth-dependent attenuation and resolution. Minor deviations occur primarily under low-scattering or low-absorption regimes, where optical characterization presents greater uncertainties.
Conclusions: By integrating experimentally validated simulations with a broad range of solid phantoms, this framework establishes a foundation for developing fluorescence digital twins, enabling faster and more systemic testing of fluorescence imaging systems. These findings can help accelerate the design and optimization of FGS and other fluorescence-based biomedical applications.
(© 2025 The Authors.)*