Abstract: Melanin is an effective absorber of light and is able to dissipate the majority of light absorbed by the pigment. This can mask the absorbance of biomolecules of interest such as hemoglobin when imaging skin tissue. Melanin is the primary determinant of skin color which can vary between individuals as well as within individuals (due to the presence of portions of skin with more or less pigment as well as features such as freckles and moles). Described herein are methods for compensating for melanin absorption at the pixel level of an image, thereby allowing for more accurate imaging of concentration and distribution of biomolecules of interest in a tissue portion.

Abstract: Melanin is an effective absorber of light and is able to dissipate the majority of light absorbed by the pigment. This can mask the absorbance of biomolecules of interest such as hemoglobin when imaging skin tissue. Melanin is the primary determinant of skin color which can vary between individuals as well as within individuals (due to the presence of portions of skin with more or less pigment as well as features such as freckles and moles). Described herein are methods for compensating for melanin absorption at the pixel level of an image, thereby allowing for more accurate imaging of concentration and distribution of biomolecules of interest in a tissue portion.