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In this study, the elemental composition of human vertebrae obtained from surgical procedures and biopsies was investigated using Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) and Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES). A total of 23 samples were analyzed, including healthy controls, and specimens diagnosed with cancer and chronic osteomyelitis. ICP-OES was applied to larger samples, and these data were used to predict the composition of the entire set through LIBS combined with artificial neural networks. The results revealed a significant reduction in the Ca/P ratio concentration in cancer samples, suggesting disorganized mineralization. In addition, elevated concentrations of several trace elements, namely Zn, Ba, Fe, and Cu, were detected in patients diagnosed with cancer and chronic inflammation, which may be associated with regenerative or osteoblastic activity. These findings demonstrate the potential of LIBS to detect alterations in pathological human vertebral tissue with high sensitivity, even in biopsies weighing only a few milligrams. • Human vertebral samples were analyzed by LIBS and ICP-OES. • Cancerous vertebrae show a reduced Ca/P ratio and magnesium content. • Trace elements are biomarkers for cancer and inflammation in bone. • LIBS detects with high sensitivity elemental markers of vertebral pathology.
Sobral et al. (Thu,) studied this question.