Method of detecting bone fractures using backscattered light

A method of detecting bone fractures using backscattered light, comprising the steps of:

• generating an incident beam of near infrared light having an incident amplitude, A_I, associated therewith;
• directing the incident beam of near infrared light toward a body part of a patient;
• receiving a backscattered beam of near infrared light from the body part of the patient, the backscattered beam of near infrared light having a backscattered amplitude, A_BS, associated therewith;
• measuring the backscattered amplitude of the backscattered beam of near infrared light;
• calculating an insertion loss, IL, as
• I
• L
• =
• 20
• ⁢
• ⁢
• log
• ⁢
• ⁢
• A
• BS
• A
• I
• ;
• and
• determining that the body part of the patient has a bone fracture if the insertion loss is above a first loss threshold, thereby determining that the body part of the patient is healthy if the insertion loss is below a second loss threshold, and determining that the body part of the patient has an edema if the insertion loss is between the first loss threshold and the second loss threshold.

A method of detecting bone fractures using backscattered light, comprising the steps of:

• generating an incident beam of near infrared light having an incident phase, ϕI, associated therewith;
• directing the incident beam of near infrared light toward a body part of a patient;
• receiving a backscattered beam of near infrared light from the body part of the patient, the backscattered beam of near infrared light having a backscattered phase, ϕBS, associated therewith;
• measuring the backscattered phase of the backscattered beam of near infrared light;
• calculating an insertion phase difference, IPD, as IPD=ϕBS−ϕI;
• and
• determining that the body part of the patient has a bone fracture if the insertion phase difference is below a first phase threshold, thereby determining that the body part of the patient is healthy if the insertion phase difference is above a second phase threshold, and determining that the body part of the patient has an edema if the insertion phase difference is between the first phase threshold and the second phase threshold.