Measurement of K, Fe, Cu and Zn levels in secondary colorectal liver cancer and surrounding normal liver tissue, and their potential as a tissue classifier

Abstract An x‐ray fluorescence (XRF) system utilising a synchrotron radiation source was used to quantify the levels of Fe, Cu, Zn and K in colorectal liver metastases and surrounding normal liver tissue as a possible mechanism for detecting cancer in a tissue biopsy. Sixty samples were measured and a lower level of all four elements was found in the cancer samples compared with that of the normal liver. The difference in levels of Zn, Fe, Cu …