Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 20, 2026

Whole-body Mass Spectrometry Imaging by Infrared Matrix-assisted Laser Desorption Electrospray Ionization (IR-MALDESI)
Published on: March 24, 2016
Mass spectrometry imaging for drug distribution studies
Brendan Prideaux1, Markus Stoeckli2
1Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Basel, Switzerland; Public Health Research Institute, Newark, NJ, USA.
Mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) precisely maps drug and metabolite distribution in tissues. This label-free technique overcomes limitations of traditional methods, offering crucial spatial insights for pharmaceutical research.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Imaging
- Analytical Chemistry
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) enables molecular localization in biological tissues.
- Understanding drug and metabolite distribution is vital in drug discovery and development.
- Traditional methods like LCMS lack spatial data, and autoradiography lacks specificity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) technologies for pharmaceutical imaging.
- To discuss recent advances, applications, and limitations of MSI in drug analysis.
Main Methods:
- Review of various MSI technologies applied to pharmaceutical imaging.
- Analysis of technical advancements and their impact on drug distribution studies.
- Evaluation of current analytical challenges in MSI for pharmaceuticals.
Main Results:
- MSI provides sensitive, label-free imaging of drugs and metabolites in tissues.
- It offers superior spatial resolution compared to traditional extraction-based or whole-body methods.
- Recent technical progress has expanded MSI's utility in pharmaceutical research.
Conclusions:
- MSI is a powerful tool for visualizing drug and metabolite distribution in biological samples.
- It addresses key limitations of conventional analytical techniques.
- Further advancements in MSI will continue to enhance pharmaceutical research and development.
More Related Videos
07:05Correlative Optical Spectroscopy and Mass Spectrometry Imaging Methodology to Visualise Drug Distribution in a Soft Tissue Section
Published on: June 20, 2025
09:38Dithranol as a Matrix for Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Imaging on a Fourier Transform Ion Cyclotron Resonance Mass Spectrometer
Published on: November 26, 2013
Related Concept Videos
Tandem Mass Spectrometry
MALDI-TOF Mass Spectrometry
Imaging Studies II: Positron Emission Tomography and Scintigraphy
Fundamental Principles of PET
Mass Spectrometry: Complex Analysis
GC–MS is a powerful hyphenated method commonly used in forensics and environmental...
Methods for Studying Drug Absorption: In situ
The Doluisio method involves perfusing a prepared segment of a rat's small intestine with a solution of radiolabeled drug and a non-absorbable marker. This helps to differentiate between absorbed and non-absorbed drug concentrations. The intestinal segment is connected at both ends using tubing and syringes,...
Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization (MALDI)