Microscopy and chemical imaging of Behcet brain tissue

Chemical composition and distribution of molecules and elements in a human brain tissue of Behcet diseased patient are of interest. Behcet disease is a multi-system disorder of which pathogenesis and chemical causality are still uncertain. Time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry is used along with scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray analysis providing complex composition in Behcet disease and control tissues. Determined organic compounds are represented by fragments of carbohydrates, phospholipids, amino acids, and peptides. The distributions of inorganic species are well represented by heavy trace elements and by oxides in positive and negative polarities of time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry, respectively. Organic and inorganic compounds are qualitatively determined in both samples, Behcet and control, providing complementary chemical images. The complementary chemical images interestingly change with the quantitative regression of organic compounds distribution, characteristic for the healthy control, towards inorganic compounds distribution, characteristic for Behcet tissue. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.