Category
Analytical Laboratory
Typical Use
Identify and quantify molecules by mass to charge ratio for proteomics and toxicology.
Description
A high resolution analytical instrument that ionizes chemical species and separates ions by mass to charge ratio to provide molecular identification, structural information, and quantitative data used in proteomics, metabolomics, drug testing, and clinical toxicology. Mass spectrometry workflows often couple chromatographic separation LC MS to enhance specificity and sensitivity, and require rigorous calibration, reference standards, and expert interpretation to translate spectra into clinically meaningful results. Clinical mass spectrometry supports newborn screening, therapeutic drug monitoring, and specialized assays that are not amenable to conventional immunoassays, and its adoption in clinical labs demands investment in instrumentation, validation, and skilled personnel.