Discrimination of patients with diabetes mellitus and healthy subjects based on laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy of their fingernails

Abstract

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) is applied to investigate the effect of diabetes mellitus (DM) on the elemental composition of fingernails. Measurements are carried out on 85 fingernail clippings including 51 diabetic and 34 control subjects. An auto-focus system has been designed and used in experiments to improve the repeatability of LIBS measurements. Classification of diabetic and nondiabetic subjects is examined using discriminant function analysis (DFA) method. This classification is based on 82 atomic, ionic, and molecular emission lines belonging to 13 elements as well as one molecule of fingernails. Emission lines that can be used as the best predictors are identified. The possibility of using this method for screening purposes is discussed based on the classification results. This preliminary work shows the ability of LIBS of fingernails in discrimination of DM patients and nondiabetic subjects using DFA method and its feasibility in screening purposes.

A critical review of recent progress in analytical laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy

“…LIBS has also been used to characterize human malignant cells [139]. Quantitative human blood and urine [40] and hair and fingernail [140,141] analysis are also among the continuously tested medical LIBS applications intended to provide information on the exposure or health status of patients.…”

Feasibility Study on Discrimination of Neo-plastic and Non-Neoplastic Gastric Tissues Using Spark Discharge Assisted Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy

“…Emissions of excited atoms, ions, and molecules in this plasma are recorded as a spectrum and analyzed for atomic identification of the sample. In recent years, this technique is mostly used for analysis of different tissues, including hard tissues such as hair, 11 nails [12][13][14][15][16][17][18] and teeth [19][20][21][22] and soft tissues such as blood, 23 cervical, 24 liver 25 and colorectal tissues. 26 What sets this method apart from other conventional methods is the convenience of sample preparation, higher speed of performance and no direct connection with samples especially contaminant materials.…”

1540 nm LIBS Investigation of Healthy and Pathological Human Nails

“…The nail consists of a large number of chemical elements, 26 of which relate to essential and structural J of Biomedical Photonics & Eng 6 (2) 30 Jun 2020 © J-BPE 020310-2 micro-and macroelements (Cl, I, B, V, Fe, K, Ca, Co, Si, S, Li, Mg, Mn, Cu, Mo, Na, Ni, Se, P, Cr, Zn, O, N, C, H, F), the rest are toxic [10]. The 82 emission lines belonging to the atomic and ionic lines of 13 elements -Al, C, Ca, Fe, H, K, Mg, N, Na, O, Si, Sr, and Ti -can be identified in the LIBS spectrum of the nail [11][12][13][14]. LIBS analysis does not require sample extraction, as it can be performed in vivo.…”

“…LIBS analysis does not require sample extraction, as it can be performed in vivo. Elemental analysis of nails can be used not only for the diagnosis of nail diseases, but also for detecting an imbalance of elements and the presence of pathological processes in the human body as a whole [14,15]. In the latter case, an analysis of the intensities ratios of emission lines in the LIBS spectra can serve as an indicator of the level of a pathology.…”