Table 1.
MALDI and DESI-MSI versus IMC comparison
| DESI-MSI | MALDI-MSI | IMC | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spatial resolution (μm) | ~ 50 | 5–10 | 1 |
| Multiplexing | > m/z 1000 per sample | > m/z 1000 per sample | 30 protein markers per sample |
| Target size (m/z) | 50–1000 | Unlimited (untargeted) | Unlimited |
| Molecular classes | Drugs, metabolites, lipids | Drugs, metabolites, lipids, peptides, proteins | Limited to targeted proteins |
| Quantitation | Possible | ||
| Throughput | < 5 min/mm2 | < 5 min/mm2 | 2 h/mm2 |
| Sample preparation (other than tissue sectioning) | 0 min | 0–1 h (+ overnight in case of on-tissue digestion) | 3–5 h (+ overnight) |
| Output | Proprietary or Imzml file | Proprietary or Imzml file | MCD and text file |