Pattern recognition by the use of multivariate statistical evaluation of macro- and micro-PIXE results

The importance of statistical evaluation of multielemental data is illustrated using the data collected in a macro- and micro-PIXE analysis of human brain tumours. By employing a multivariate statistical classification methodology (SIMCA) it was shown that the total information collected from each specimen separates three types of tissue: High malignant, less malignant and normal brain tissue. This makes a classification of a given specimen possible based on the elemental concentrations. Partial least squares regression (PLS), a multivariate regression method, made it possible to study the relative importance of the examined nine trace elements, the dry/wet weight ratio and the age of the patient in predicting the survival time after operation for patients with the high malignant form, astrocytomas grade III-IV. The elemental maps from a microprobe analysis were also subjected to multivariate analysis. This showed that the six elements sorted into maps could be presented in three maps containing all the relevant information. The intensity in these maps is proportional to the value (score) of the actual pixel along the calculated principal components. (orig.)