![MALDI-MS/MS image of longitudinally sectioned drug users’ hair samples (insert shows optical image of longitudinally sectioned hair). The image shows the differential distribution (quantities and location) of the product ion at m/z 182, derived from the precursor ion of cocaine at m/z 304 within the hair shaft of two cocaine users. The length of the analysed hair samples was 4 cm corresponding to a hair growth period of 4 month. Since the spatial resolution along the hair is 150 μm, each pixel is equivalent to approximately 12 h of growth (adapted and reproduced from https://doi.org/10.1007/s13361-017-1766-0 under a Creative Commons BY Licence).](/sites/default/files/styles/product_photo/public/MSI_Review.jpg?itok=-cpWM182)
Mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) is a powerful and versatile technique able to investigate the spatial distribution of multiple non-labelled endogenous and exogenous analytes simultaneously, within a wide range of samples. Over the last two decades, MSI has found widespread application for an extensive range of disciplines including pre-clinical drug discovery, clinical applications and human identification for forensic purposes. Technical advances in both instrumentation and software capabilities have led to a continual increase in the interest in MSI; however, there are still some limitations. In this review, we discuss the emerging applications in MSI that significantly impact three key areas of mass spectrometry (MS) research—clinical, pre-clinical and forensics—and roadblocks to the expansion of use of MSI in these areas.
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C. Russo, C. Heaton, L. Flint, O. Voloaca, S. Haywood-Small, M.R. Clench, S. Francese and L.M. Cole, “Emerging applications in mass spectrometry imaging; enablers and roadblocks”, J. Spectral Imaging 9, a13 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1255/jsi.2020.a13