[Analysis of trace element concentrations in the cerebrospinal fluid using particle-induced X-ray emission]

The authors used for first time the PIXE method ("particle induced X-ray emission") for determination of the concentration of in the cerebrospinal fluid of neurological patients. In 40 hitherto examined patients with epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, extrapyramidal syndromes, Little's syndrome, Guillain-Barré syndrome, cerebral strokes, tumours of brain and spine, vasomotor headaches, neuralgia and discopathy, the concentration of the following trace elements was determined: Br, Zn, CU, Pb, Rb, Fe, Ca, K, Cl, Sr, Zr, Cr, Mn, Ni, As. The ranges of the determined concentrations in ppm units mean values and mutual relations of some elements were presented. The concentration of trace elements in cerebrospinal fluid was lower than in the tissues. The authors continue further investigations in many neurological syndromes with analysis of various clinico-laboratory correlations.