Diagnosis of osteoporosis by UV-visible fluorescence of hair in relation to calcium deficiency assessed by the LIBS technique
Imen Cherni, Hassen Ghalila, Sami Hamzaoui, Imen Rachdi, F. Daoued, N. Jaı̈dane
Abstract
The use of UV-visible fluorescence of hair as a promising technique for a simple and rapid preliminary diagnosis of osteoporosis was proposed recently by us. The molecules proposed as potential markers in that work were keratin, elastin as well as vitamin D and A whose fluorescence occurs in the vicinity of an emission peak located around 485 nm. The aim of the work presented here is to confirm these preliminary results. For that, new measurements based on the LIBS (Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy) technique were performed on the same samples and focused on monitoring the evolution of calcium concentrations in hair in relation to the disease. The results showed a strong correlation between the evolution of calcium concentrations and the fluorescence peak located around 485 nm. This new finding highlighted the important role that the calcium-containing protein S100A3, which is abundantly present in the hair cuticle, may play on the fluorescence spectrum.