The discrimination of some dermal dischromias using the ESR and NAA

The information provided by the electron spin resonance (ESR) and neutron activation analysis (NAA) seem to complete each other most of time. ESR is applied in biology, due to its significant sensitivity and selectivity in the detection of paramagnetic states of free radicals implied in many physiological processes. Many enzymatic systems, photosynthesis intermediates or electrons transporting chain species are paramagnetic. On the other hand, free radicals are involved in the protection against ionic radiation, in immunity reactions and pathological processes including the oncogenesis. ESR spectroscopy informs about the quantity, interactions and dynamics of paramagnetic centres of the systems through spectral parameters as: the intensity, the g factor, the form and the width of line, hyperfine splitting, etc. NAA allows simultaneous determination of the concentration of essential microelements in tissues involved in the major biological pathways. In the present work we have tested the possibility of using the ESR and NAA investigations techniques combined with the factorial statistic analysis of the data, in the aim to discriminate some dermal dischromias of human skin. Having in view that the hyper- and hipochromia are due to an excess and deficit in melanin, respectively, we used ESR to observe the radical species from the skin samples. We studied the skin samples that represent different dischromias (malign melanoma, epithelioma, pigmentary nevus, vitiligo) in comparison with normal skin. On the same samples we have determined by NAA the concentrations of elements (Cu, Na, Mg, Mn, and Al) which could be involved in the mechanisms of producing and releasing the melanin. The signal ESR intensities and widths and the NAA elemental concentration values of the skin samples have been processed by a STATCF program to develop differences between dischromic and normal skin. The signification level of the differences observed among the sample groups has been evaluated with the STUDENT statistical program for individual parameters. Using STATCF, the studied skin samples have been separated into three groups belonging to a well definite state of malignancy. Therefore, these combined methods can be used as a good diagnosis tool of different dermal diseases. (authors)