A plurality of measured product ion spectra are produced using a DIA tandem mass spectrometry method. One or more product ions are retrieved from a spectral library of known compounds or one or more theoretical product ions are calculated for the known compounds of a database. The one or more product ions or one or more theoretical product ions for each known compound are compared to the measured product ion spectra to identify one or more known compounds in the sample. A database of related known compounds is searched using one or more known compounds, producing one or more matching related compounds and one or more product ions for each related compound. The one or more product ions for each related compound are compared to the measured product ion spectra to identify one or more related compounds in the sample.

The invention generally relates to systems and methods for precursor and neutral loss scan in an ion trap. In certain aspects, the invention provides a system that includes a mass spectrometer having an ion trap, and a central processing unit (CPU). The CPU includes storage coupled to the CPU for storing instructions that when executed by the CPU cause the system to excite a precursor ion and eject a product ion in the single ion trap.

The invention generally relates to systems and methods for precursor and neutral loss scan in an ion trap. In certain aspects, the invention provides a system that includes a mass spectrometer having an ion trap, and a central processing unit (CPU). The CPU includes storage coupled to the CPU for storing instructions that when executed by the CPU cause the system to excite a precursor ion and eject a product ion in the single ion trap.

An apparatus for monitoring a surgical procedure includes a MALDI-TOF mass spectrometer comprising a load lock, an ionization chamber, and an ion detector. A first video camera produces an optical image of an operating field of the surgical procedure. A sample extracting device extracts the tissue sample at the location within the optical image of the operating field. A sample preparation system prepares MALID-TOF samples by depositing an extract of the extracted tissue sample on a sample plate together with a MALDI matrix. A sample plate loading mechanism loads the sample plate into the MALDI-TOF mass spectrometer. A second video camera produces an optical image of the sample plate and records a location of the extracted tissue sample. A computer records the images from first and second video cameras, correlates the location of the tissue sample in the operating field with the location of the tissue sample on the sample plate, acquires mass spectra data from the MALDI-TOF mass spectrometer, and compares the mass spectrum data to known mass spectrum data.

The invention generally relates to systems and methods for performing multiple precursor, neutral loss and product ion scans in a single ion trap. In certain aspects, the invention provides systems including a mass spectrometer having a single ion trap, and a central processing unit (CPU), and storage coupled to the CPU for storing instructions that when executed by the CPU cause the system to apply at least one of the following ion scans to a single ion population in the single ion trap: multiple precursor ion scans, a plurality of segmented neutral loss scans, or multiple simultaneous neutral loss scans.

The invention generally relates to two-dimensional mass spectrometry using ion micropacket detection. In certain aspects, the invention provides systems including a mass spectrometer having an ion trap and one or more detectors. The system includes a central processing unit (CPU), and storage coupled to the CPU for storing instructions that when executed by the CPU cause the system to: apply one or more scan functions to the ion trap that excite a precursor ion and eject a product ion from the ion trap; and determine a secular frequency of the product ion by detecting micropackets of the product ion as the micropackets are ejected from the ion trap.

An ion trap mass spectrometer includes an ion trap including a first electrode and a second electrode different from the first electrode, a first voltage controller that periodically switches a DV voltage among DC voltages having a plurality of values and apply the DV voltages to the first electrode, and a second voltage controller that applies a sine-wave voltage to the second electrode when ions captured in the ion trap are dissociated.

The invention generally relates to systems and methods for precursor and neutral loss scan in an ion trap. In certain aspects, the invention provides a system that includes a mass spectrometer having an ion trap, and a central processing unit (CPU). The CPU includes storage coupled to the CPU for storing instructions that when executed by the CPU cause the system to excite a precursor ion and eject a product ion in the single ion trap.

The invention generally relates to two-dimensional mass spectrometry using ion micropacket detection. In certain aspects, the invention provides systems including a mass spectrometer having an ion trap and one or more detectors. The system includes a central processing unit (CPU), and storage coupled to the CPU for storing instructions that when executed by the CPU cause the system to: apply one or more scan functions to the ion trap that excite a precursor ion and eject a product ion from the ion trap; and determine a secular frequency of the product ion by detecting micropackets of the product ion as the micropackets are ejected from the ion trap.

The invention generally relates to systems and methods for performing multiple precursor, neutral loss and product ion scans in a single ion trap. In certain aspects, the invention provides systems including a mass spectrometer having a single ion trap, and a central processing unit (CPU), and storage coupled to the CPU for storing instructions that when executed by the CPU cause the system to apply at least one of the following ion scans to a single ion population in the single ion trap: multiple precursor ion scans, a plurality of segmented neutral loss scans, or multiple simultaneous neutral loss scans.