Dynamic multiple light scattering (DMLS) has found numerous applications, including soft matter physics and biomedical optics. Yet biological tissues may have complex internal geometries, presenting a challenge for noninvasive measurements. Deciphering laminar dynamics is crucial to accurately interpret tissue or organ physiology. Seminal DMLS work noted that one can probe deeper layers indirectly by analyzing light fluctuations on shorter time scales. Recent technologies have enabled probing deeper layers directly by analyzing fluctuations at longer path lengths. The following question arises: are the indirect and direct approaches synergistic or redundant? Here, by adding an optical switch to path-length-filtered interferometric diffusing wave spectroscopy, we experimentally address this question in the context of a forearm occlusion study. We find that both approaches afford better distinction of light scattering dynamics in layered tissues than either approach alone. This motivates further development of methods that integrate both decorrelation time scale and light path length to probe layered tissues.

Diffuse optics (DO) is a light-based technique used to study the human brain, but it suffers from low brain specificity. Interferometric diffuse optics (iDO) promises to improve the quantitative accuracy and depth specificity of DO, and particularly, coherent light fluctuations (CLFs) arising from blood flow. iDO techniques have alternatively achieved either time-of-flight (TOF) discrimination or highly parallel detection, but not both at once. Here, we break this barrier with a single iDO instrument. Specifically, we show that rapid tuning of a temporally coherent laser during the sensor integration time increases the effective linewidth seen by a highly parallel interferometer. Using this concept to create a continuously variable and user-specified TOF filter, we demonstrate a solution to the canonical problem of DO, measuring optical properties. Then, with a deep TOF filter, we reduce scalp sensitivity of CLFs by 2.7 times at 1 cm source-collector separation. With this unique combination of desirable features, i.e., TOF-discrimination, spatial localization, and highly parallel CLF detection, we perform multiparametric imaging of light intensities and CLFs via the human forehead.