Modeling Light Propagation in Skin for Visualization of Subcutaneous Veins

Vein visualization systems such as the VeinViewer are vein-contrast enhancement devices that use an infrared camera to highlight blood or the underlying vasculature and project the image in real time onto the skin. Understanding the light propagation in a realistic skin model is critical, but only a few computational models have been developed to account for this particular system. We have developed a 3-D computational skin model with embedded veins using COMSOL Multiphysics®. The 3D COMSOL model effectively shows the contrast of the veins from the surrounding tissue and effects of source wavelength, vein sizes and depth. This model can effectively be used to advance the design and practices of vein visualization devices.