Birefringence images of polycrystalline films of human urine in early diagnostics of kidney pathology

Abstract

We propose an optical model of the Mueller-matrix description of mechanisms of optical anisotropy of polycrystalline films of urine, namely, optical activity and birefringence. The algorithm of reconstruction of distributions of parameters-optical rotation angles and phase shifts of the indicated anisotropy types-are elaborated upon. The objective criteria of differentiation of urine films taken from healthy donors and albuminuria patients by means of statistical analysis of such distributions are determined. The operational characteristics (sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy) of the Mueller-matrix reconstruction method of the optical anisotropy parameters are defined.