LAMMA--investigations of biological and medical specimens

One feature of the Laser Microprobe-Mass-Analyzer (LAMMA) is the analysis of biomedical specimens. This method allows to obtain qualitative and quantitative information about the inorganic and--in a qualified sense--about the organic constituents of microvolumes of thin histological sections or of single cells (e.g. erythrocytes) with a relative sensitivity going down to the sub-ppm range. The paper describes the technical structure and features of the laser-microprobe, its advantages and possibilities, but also its limits in the investigation of biomedical specimens. This will be pointed out by some examples: 1) Analysis of blood from patients suffering from renal insufficiencies (A1 transportation, Fe/Mg ratio of erythrocytes). 2) Pb detection in fetal tissues after maternal Pb intoxication. 3) Analysis of trace elements (detection limits and superposition of organic background from embedding material). 4) Analysis of isotopes and molecules. The present contribution is not so much a discussion of medical problems, but mainly a discussion about the methodical and practical use of the laser microprobe.