Empirical analysis of LIBS images using the nonlinear diffusion method

We are investigating the use of the laser induced breakdown spectroscopy, (LIBS), on blood samples of mice to detect the earliest stages of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). A laser changes a blood samples to plasma state and the images produced thereby are analyzed. By comparing LIBS images of blood from EOC positive mice to those of cancer free mice, our goal is to identify differences by which we can detect those in early EOC stages. We apply an improved nonlinear diffusion filter to enhance relevant image edges and to remove noise and irrelevant texture.