[Clinical application of mass spectrometry in the pediatric field: current topics]

Rinsho Byori. 2013 Sep;61(9):817-25.
[Article in Japanese]

Abstract

Mass spectrometry, including tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS), is becoming prominent in the diagnosis of metabolic disorders in the pediatric field. It enables biochemical diagnosis of metabolic disorders from the metabolic profiles obtained by MS/MS and/or GC/MS. In neonatal mass screening for inherited metabolic disease (IMD) using MS/MS, amino acids and acylcarnitines on dried blood spots are analyzed. The target diseases include amino acidemia, urea cycle disorder, organic acidemia, and fatty acid oxidation disorder. In the MS/MS screening, organic acid analysis using GC/MS is required for differential and/or definite diagnosis of the IMDs. GC/MS data processing, however, is difficult, and metabolic diagnosis often requires the necessary skills and expertize. We developed an automated system of GC/MS data processing and autodiagnosis, and the biochemical diagnosis using GC/MS became markedly easier and user-friendly. Mass spectrometric techniques will expand from research laboratories to clinical laboratories in the near future.

Publication types

  • English Abstract
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Child
  • Chromatography, Gas / methods
  • Humans
  • Mass Screening
  • Mass Spectrometry* / methods
  • Metabolic Diseases / diagnosis
  • Molecular Weight
  • Sensitivity and Specificity