Reliable markers for diagnostic purposes or markers that correlate with prognosis and therapeutic response are needed in Pathology day to day practice. Also, methodologies that enable scrutinized tissue analysis on small numbers of cells while still conserving material for additional testing are most sought-after. Since matrix assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) goes far beyond microscopy and only requires a single tissue section it is ideal for this endeavor. MALDI MSI can generate molecular maps of tissue sections that can elucidate the underlying biochemistry or provide information on how therapeutics or toxins influence the function or misfunction of an organ. Moreover, the very same tissue section can be utilized even after MALDI MSI analysis for further tests. Thus, it has the potential to overcome limitations of other approaches in the identification and routine diagnostic measurement of new marker molecules/profiles while still conserving precious sample material.
Different applications in the field of oncology will be presented that highlight possible applications of MALDI MSI in Pathology. Combining MALDI MSI, histology and statistical analysis allowed for reliable and fast subtyping in a number of different tumor types while also conserving material that might be used for additional testing. However, in order to be integrated into Pathology day to day practice there are still some challenges that need to be overcome.
