Microemboli characterization by determination of Legendre coefficients of phase function

The characterization of microemboli located in whole blood is attempted by determining the Legendre coefficients of phase function from the scattered light distribution around the medium. In the radiative transport equation, a microembolus is represented as a secondary source and assumed to have a spherical form and the first order transport approximate solution of the equation is used to describe the scattered intensity distribution. After the scattered intensities are determined at the surfaces of the medium, the orthogonal property of Legendre polynomial is used to extract the coefficients out of the intensities. From the obtained coefficients, the size and complex index of refraction of microemboli are determined.