Sprectroscopic and time-resolved optical methods and apparatus for imaging objects in turbed media

Method and apparatus for imaging objects in turbid media. In one embodiment, the method comprises illuminating at least a portion of the turbid medium with substantially monochromatic light of at least two wavelengths in the 600-1500 nm spectral range. A first of the at least two wavelengths is equal to a resonance wavelength for an optical property of an object in the illuminated portion of the turbid medium but is not equal to a resonance wavelength for the turbid medium. A second of the at least two wavelengths is not equal to a resonance wavelength for either the object or the turbid medium. Light emergent from the turbid medium following each of the foregoing illuminations comprises a ballistic component, a snake component and a diffuse component. A direct shadowgram image may be obtained by preferentially passing from the emergent light, following each illumination. the ballistic and snake components thereof and detecting the preferentially passed light. Alternatively, an inverse reconstruction image may be obtained by determining, following each illumination, the intensity of the diffuse component at a plurality of points in time and then using these pluralities of intensity determinations and a mathematical inversion algorithm to form an image of the object in the turbid medium. An image of the object with higher contrast and better quality may be obtained by using the ratio or difference of the images recorded with resonant light and non-resonant light.