A method for determining the integrity of at least one complex based on at least one biological sample and at least one matrix, including at least the following steps:—acquiring at least one image,—analyzing the image sent by extracting light intensity values representative of at least one spectral band,—relating the light intensity values to one another to obtain representative spectral data,—determining a state of integrity of the complex by comparing each of the representative spectral data by similarity grouping with a determined similarity threshold,—triggering at least one first alert, by the analysis unit, when the representative data are similar to the first state of integrity or to the second state of integrity.

An imaging unit includes a MCP, a fluorescent body, and an imager. The MCP is provided on a flight route of an ionized sample that is a component of a sample ionized and emits electrons in accordance with the ionized sample. The fluorescent body is disposed in a subsequent stage of the MCP and emits fluorescent light in accordance with the electrons emitted from the MCP. The imager is disposed in a subsequent stage of the fluorescent body and has a shutter mechanism configured to be capable of switching an open state in which the fluorescent light is imaged by allowing the fluorescent light from the fluorescent body to pass through and a close state in which the fluorescent light is not imaged by blocking the fluorescent light from the fluorescent body. An afterglow time of the fluorescent body is 12 ns or shorter.

A mass spectrometry device includes a sample stage, an irradiator, a MCP, a fluorescent body, an imager, and a controller. The irradiator irradiates a sample with an energy beam to ionize a plurality of components of the sample while maintaining position information of the plurality of components. The MCP emits electrons in accordance with an ionized sample. The fluorescent body emits fluorescent light in accordance with the electrons. The imager has a shutter mechanism configured to be capable of switching an open state and a close state. The controller controls an opening and closing operation of the shutter mechanism. The controller allows the imager to image the fluorescent light corresponding to each of the plurality of components by performing the opening and closing of the shutter mechanism at a timing for each of the components.

Apparatus for laser induced ablation spectroscopy (LIBS) is disclosed. An apparatus can have a computer, a pulsed laser and a lightguide fiber bundle that is subdivided into branches. One branch can convey a first portion of the light to a first optical spectrometer and a different branch can convey a second portion of the light to another optical spectrometer. The first spectrometer can be relatively wideband to analyze a relative wide spectral segment and the other spectrometer can be high dispersion to measure minor concentrations. The apparatus can have a plurality of spectrometers with distinct and/or complementary capabilities, and can include an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer and data and instructions in tangible media operable to obtain a synergistic composition analysis based on optical spectra and ion mass to charge ratio peaks from the mass spectrometer.

A method of analysis using mass spectrometry and/or ion mobility spectrometry is disclosed comprising: (a) using a first device to generate smoke, aerosol or vapour from a target in vitro or ex vivo cell population; (b) mass analysing and/or ion mobility analysing said smoke, aerosol or vapour, or ions derived therefrom, in order to obtain spectrometric data; and (c) analysing said spectrometric data in order to identify and/or characterise said target cell population or one or more cells and/or compounds present in said target cell population.

A mass spectrometer, MS, 100 is described. The MS 100 comprises: a first chamber 110, comprising a set of ports P close able by respective doors, for receiving sample plates including respective unique device identifiers, UDIs, therein and/or there through, wherein the set of ports P includes a first port P1 having a first door D1 and a second port P2 having a second door D2; a second chamber 120, fluidically couple able with the first chamber 110 via the second port P2, wherein the second chamber 120 is fluidically coupled to and/or comprises an ion source 130, an analyser 140 and an ion detector 150, for mass spectrometry of samples included on the sample plates received therein; and an imager 160, coupled to the second chamber 120, configured to image the UDIs of the sample plates; a controller 170 configured to control the imager 160; wherein the MS 100 is arrangeable in: a first arrangement, wherein a first sample plate 1A of a set of sample plates 1 is received in the first chamber 110 via the first port P1, wherein the first door D1 is open and wherein the second door D2 is closed, and wherein the first sample plate 1A includes a first UDI U1A of a set of UDIs; a second arrangement, wherein the first sample plate 1A is in the first chamber 110, wherein the first door D1 is closed and wherein the second door D2 is closed; and a third arrangement, wherein the first sample plate 1A is received in the second chamber 120 via the second port P2, wherein the second door D2 is closed; wherein the controller 170 is configured to control the imager 160 to image the first UDI U1A of the first sample plate 1A, when the MS 100 is arranged in the third arrangement.

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.

The microfluidic probe is configured for nano spray desorption electro spray ionization (nano-DESI) with fixed positioning of the channels therein for consistent and stable formation of a liquid bridge for nano-DESI and mass spectrometry imaging (MSI). The microfluidic probe may incorporate a shear force probe for sensing and maintaining a desired distance between the probe and the sample surface being analyzed. The microfluidic probe includes a primary solvent channel and a spray channel intersecting at a fixed orientation relative to each other at an opening in a tip of the probe. The microfluidic probe is constructed from a plastic material.

The invention relates to a method for the determination and visualization of the spatial distribution of tissue states of a tissue sample, wherein a mass/mobility map is acquired at each of a plurality of sample sites of the tissue sample, the signal heights at each sample site are determined at characteristic signal positions in the corresponding mass/mobility map, from which a tissue state for each sample site is calculated with the aid of a mathematical/statistical classification algorithm, and the spatial distribution of the tissue states calculated for the sample sites is represented graphically.

Methods and systems for automated slide handling for imaging applications are described herein. In certain aspects, an automated slide handler may be operatively coupled to a slide hotel and/or one or more imaging systems described herein. The automated slide handler may be a robotic arm with up to 6 degrees of freedom. Automated slide handling may include sample preparation, such as sectioning and staining. Suitable imaging systems include a fluorescence microscope or an imaging mass cytometer. Methods and systems disclosed herein enable high throughput profiling of tissue sections.