Novel technical developments in mass spectrometry imaging in 2020: A mini review

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Imaging
• Analytical Chemistry
• Molecular Pathology

Background:

• Mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) applications have grown due to advancements in sample prep, instrumentation, and data analysis.
• Publication rates in MSI have surged, indicating increasing research interest and utility.
• Early MSI offered limited spatial resolution, comparable to visual inspection, but provided molecular intensity mapping.

Purpose of the Study:

• To summarize recent developments in Mass Spectrometry Imaging (MSI).
• To highlight novel approaches in tissue-based MSI imaging published in 2020.
• To showcase the evolution of MSI capabilities towards cellular and subcellular resolution.

Main Methods:

• Review of recent literature on Mass Spectrometry Imaging (MSI) techniques.
• Focus on advancements in instrumentation and spatial resolution.
• Analysis of new data analysis and sample preparation workflows.

Main Results:

• Significant improvements in MSI instrumentation have enhanced spatial resolution.
• Current MSI technology allows molecular analysis at cellular and subcellular levels.
• Recent developments have refined tissue-based imaging approaches.

Conclusions:

• Mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) is a rapidly evolving field with increasing applicability.
• Technological advancements have dramatically improved MSI's spatial resolution and analytical capabilities.
• MSI is now a powerful tool for detailed molecular analysis in biological tissues.