[Quantitation of iodine by analytical ion microscopy (AIM)]

AIM allows imaging and quantification of all elements on a biological tissue section. However quantification is limited by physical parameters which are difficult to assess and which intervene for a given element in the relation between its concentration and the measured signal. Thus, to quantify iodine in thyroid follicles, an iodine standard was prepared. Homogeneity in its atomic iodine distribution was tested by surface and depth analyses. Then, a standard curve was generated to be used as a reference for quantification of iodine on histological preparation by AIM.