Mohs micrographic surgery is the technique of surgically removing skin tumors by gradually excising thin layers and visualizing under a microscope till a tumor-free zone is obtained. During the surgical procedure, visible tumors are surgically removed. During the second stage, if tumor margins are clear with the positive specimen at depth, only depth cavitations need to be done without altering the tumor diameter. Defining the depth during this procedure is a major challenge due to the nonexistence of proper guidelines. Using the laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) technique, depth profiling can be performed precisely, preventing excessive tissue removal and reducing time consumption during the microscopic examination.
Keywords: artificial neural network; basal cell carcinoma; cancer detection; laser; laser induced break down spectroscopy; melanoma; mohs micrographic surgery; skin cancer; spectroscopy.