As there recently has been increased interest in the applications of optical techniques in biomedical research and clinical diagnostics, it seemed to be appropriate to organize a comprehensive international conference on optics in medicine and biology. Such a broad international meeting had not been held before. An international conference on Optics in Biomedical Sciences was organized and took place in Graz, Austria, September 7th through 11th, 1981, sponsored by the International Commission for Optics (ICO) in co operation with the European Optical Committee, the Austrian Association on Biomedical Engineering, and the German Society for Applied Optics. It seemed timely to establish a forum for communication among specialists on an international level. This book, presenting the papers given at this conference, demonstrates the state of the art of this increasingly expanding field of applications of optics. Furthermore, the interested reader will find an extended list of references in the various contributions. This book helps to overcome the difficulty, inherent in all interdisciplinary research fields, of gathering widely scattered literature. The contributions to this book are focussed on the following topics: Biomedical applications of - unconventional imaging in microscopy, - image processing, - interferometry and holography, - speckle-techniques and spectroscopy, - optometry, and - Moire methods. In addition, the brilliant and humorous closing remarks of Nils Abramson from the Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, have been included.

I. Unconventional Imaging in Microscopy

Electron Microscopy in Medicine and Biology: Methods and Recent Developments
Electron Microscopy in Medicine and Biology: Applications
Laser Projection Microscope: Principle and Applications in Biology
Ultrasonic Microscopy in Medicine and Biology
Imaging and Microscopy with Optoacoustic and Photothermal Methods
II. Image Processing
Biomedical Image Classification by Data Reduction
Optimization Criteria for Television-Based Image Digitizers
Digital Image Analysis of Complex Periodical Viral Structures
Molecular Order of Ceramide Trihexoside (CTH) Inclusions of Fabry's Disease: Study Through Digital Image Processing and Optical Fourier Transformation
Hierarchical Description of Image Structure
On the Optimization of Scintillation Camera Collimators with Parallel Holes
Computer Analysis of Compton Scattering Images: Acquisition, Restoration and Application in Patients with Pulmonary Oedema
3-D Time Gated Transaxial Tomography in Nuclear Medicine
Image Processing of Cancer Radiographs
Assessment of Radiographic Image Quality by a Single Number in Terms of Entropy
Reciprocity-Law Failure in Medical Screen-Film Systems and its Effects on Patient Exposure and Image Quality
Transmission Imaging with Incoherent Ultrasound
III. Interferometry and Holography
Laser Interferometric Measurement of Basilar Membrane Vibrations in Cats Using a Round Window Approach
Displacement Measurement of the Basilar Membrane in Guinea Pigs by Means of an Optical-Fiber Interferometer
On Easy-to-Handle Holocameras for Endoscopic Applications
Holographic Measurement of Deformation in Complete Upper Dentures - Clinical Application
Holographic Investigation of Tooth Deformations
Otoscopic Investigations byHolographic Interferometry: A Fiber Endoscopic Approach Using a Pulsed Ruby Laser System
Vibration Analysis of Tympanic Membranes: Measurement of Vibration Waveforms Using Sampling Series of Double-Pulse Interferograms
Application of Rainbow Holography for Speckle Reduction in Tympanic Membrane Interferometry
Suppression of Disturbing Light Reflexes in Holography, Applied to Practical Recording Problems in Medicine and Technology
Holographic Vibration Analysis of the Frontal Part of the Human Neck During Singing
Holographic Measurement of Rabbit-Eyeball Deformations Caused by Intraocular Pressure Change
Holographic Investigations of the Human Pelvis
IV. Speckle-Techniques and Spectroscopy
Speckle Techniques for Use in Biology and Medicine
Bio-Medical Applications of ESPI
Retinal Blood Flow Visualization by Means of Laser Speckle
Measurement of Interior Displacement of the Human Crystalline Lens by Using Speckle Pattern
Categorization of Microparticles and Biological Cells by Laser Diffractometry
Biomedical Applications of Molecular Luminescence
A Measurement System for Otoscopic Spectroscopy in vivo
Noninvasive Method for Evaluation of the Ratschow Test
V. Optometry
Optical Techniques for Detecting and Improving Deficient Vision
Computer-Assisted Objective Optometer
Fundus Imaging by a Microprocessor Controlled Laser Scanning Device
Examination of Low-Luminance Myopia with a Laser Optometer
Measuring the Shape of Soft Corneal Lenses
Topographical and Tear Film Thickness Measurements of the Cornea of the Human Eye
In situ Measurements of the Geometrical and Optical Properties of the Anterior Segment of the Eye
Analytic Reconstruction of the Human Cornea by Means of a Slit Lamp and Digital Picture Processing
A New Noninvasive Optical Method for Studying Binocular Vision by Infrared Image Processing
Applications of the Nonlinear, Visual Operator "Lateral Inhibition" in Image Processing
Visual Resolution of Colours in Overlapped Patterns of Two Colours with Sinusoidal Intensity Distribution
Speckle Pattern Stimulator for Visual Evoked Potentials
VI. Moiré Methods
Survey on Applications of Moiré-Techniques in Medicine and Biology
Moiré Topography in Scoliosis Research
High-Precision Moiré Topography Based on Scanning Techniques
Some Problems in Analytical Reconstruction of Biological Shapes from Moiré Topograms
Automatic Measurement of Body Surfaces Using Rasterstereography
Quantification of the Symmetry of the Nose Using an Analysis of Moiré Photographs of the Face
VII. Closing Remarks
Closing Remarks
Index of Contributors.