A mass spectrometry method including: focusing an excitation beam by an excitation beam optical system at a predetermined position of the sample stage, and recording a position of a beam irradiation system including the excitation beam optical system and a movable sample stage at that time as a reference position and a temperature of the beam irradiation system at that time as a reference temperature (Steps 1 and 2); acquiring temperature dependency information which is information representing a change in position of the excitation beam optical system and the sample stage with respect to a change in temperature of the beam irradiation system and recording the temperature dependency information (Step 3); and correcting a focusing position of an excitation beam using the moving mechanism based on a difference between a temperature of the beam irradiation system during use and the reference temperature and the temperature dependency information (Step 7).

A sample support used for ionizing a component of a sample includes: a substrate having a first surface, a second surface opposite the first surface, and a plurality of through-holes that are open on the first surface and on the second surface; a conductive layer provided on at least the first surface; and an anionizing agent provided in the plurality of through-holes to anionize the component.

Coating materials such as MALDI matrix solutions are aerosolized and are used to coat analyte particles in an acoustic coater. Methods and devices for coating analyte particles in real time are disclosed. The coating improves the detection and quantification of the analyte particles using analytical instruments such as an aerosol time of flight mass spectrometer.

The invention relates to devices and methods for desorption scanning of analyte material deposited on a sample support, which can comprise the following mode of operation: (a) setting a position of the support to approach an impingement region onto which a beam is directed for local desorption of analyte material; (b) determining an actual position of the support after setting the position; (c) comparing the determined actual position with a target position of the support to determine any deviation; (d) adjusting a beam orientation, if a deviation is detected, so that the beam is directed onto the impingement region on the support that results when there is no deviation; (e) applying the beam to the impingement region to locally desorb analyte material and deliver it to an analyzer; and (f) checking whether a predetermined end condition is satisfied and, if not, repeating steps (a)-(e) for a subsequent non-congruent impingement region.

A surface-assisted laser desorption/ionization method according to an aspect includes: a first process of preparing a sample support (2) having a substrate (21) in which a plurality of through-holes (S) passing from one surface (21a) thereof to the other surface (21b) thereof are provided and a conductive layer (23) that covers at least the one surface (21a); a second process of placing a sample (10) on a sample stage (1) and arranging the sample support (2) on the sample (10) such that the other surface (21b) faces the sample (10); and a third process of applying a laser beam (L) to the one surface (21a) and ionizing the sample (10) moved from the other surface (21b) side to the one surface (21a) side via the through-holes (S) due to a capillary phenomenon.

The invention provides a method for identifying a subject suitable for receiving a lung transplant, the method comprising: subjecting a sample to mass spectrometry analysis (in the negative ion mode or positive ion mode; preferably in the positive ion mode) and generating a mass spectrum output; wherein said sample is an isolated sample obtained from a subject that is a candidate for receiving a lung transplant; detecting one or more peak set in said mass spectrum output; wherein the presence of said one or more peak set indicates that the subject is not a suitable candidate for receiving a lung transplant; or wherein the absence of said one or more peak set indicates that the subject is a suitable candidate for receiving a lung transplant. The invention relies on the detection of peak sets specific to the membrane of pathogens, in particular mycobacteria.

A method for the identification and localization of small molecule species in a histologic thin tissue section comprises the steps of: a) acquiring a mass/mobility image of the tissue section and generating a mass/mobility map of the small molecule species of interest for each pixel of the image; b) providing a second sample of the same tissue and extracting the small molecules of interest, separating them, and acquiring mass and ion mobility spectra from the separated small molecules; c) identifying the small molecules of interest using corresponding reference databases; and d) assigning identified small molecules to entries in the mass/mobility maps of the first tissue section by comparison of ion masses and mobilities of the identified species to those of the second thin tissue section.

A method of analysis using mass spectrometry and/or ion mobility spectrometry is disclosed. The method comprises: using a first device to generate smoke, aerosol or vapour from a target comprising or consisting of a microbial population; mass analysing and/or ion mobility analysing said smoke, aerosol or vapour, or ions derived therefrom, in order to obtain spectrometric data; and analysing said spectrometric data in order to analyse said microbial population.

One mode of the present invention provides a laser power adjustment method for ionization in a laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometer, the laser power adjustment method including: a measurement step (S1) in which intensity information on ions derived from a specific component in a specimen are acquired while changing laser power in n stages (n is 3 or more) for the identical specimen; and a processing step (S2, S6, and S7) in which a slope of a straight line connecting two adjacent plot points on a laser power axis is calculated in a two-axis graph in which a relationship between n ionic intensities obtained by the measurement step or a signal value, which is an SN ratio obtained from the ionic intensities, and laser power is plotted; an index value reflecting a ratio between a forward slope value, which is a slope of a straight line on a front side of the plot point, and a backward slope value, which is a slope of a straight line on a rear side, is obtained for each plot point; and appropriate laser power is selected using the index value.

A surface-assisted laser desorption/ionization method according to an aspect includes: a first process of preparing a sample support (2) having a substrate (21) in which a plurality of through-holes (S) passing from one surface (21a) thereof to the other surface (21b) thereof are provided and a conductive layer (23) that covers at least the one surface (21a); a second process of placing a sample (10) on a sample stage (1) and arranging the sample support (2) on the sample (10) such that the other surface (21b) faces the sample (10); and a third process of applying a laser beam (L) to the one surface (21a) and ionizing the sample (10) moved from the other surface (21b) side to the one surface (21a) side via the through-holes (S) due to a capillary phenomenon.