Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry

Donna M Wolk; Andrew E Clark

doi:10.1016/j.cll.2018.05.008

Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry

Clin Lab Med. 2018 Sep;38(3):471-486. doi: 10.1016/j.cll.2018.05.008.

Authors

Donna M Wolk¹, Andrew E Clark²

Affiliations

¹ Clinical Microbiology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Diagnostic Medicine Institute, Geisinger Health, 100 North Academy Avenue, Danville, PA 17822-1930, USA. Electronic address: dmwolk@geisinger.edu.
² Department of Veterinary Science and Microbiology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA.

PMID: 30115392
DOI: 10.1016/j.cll.2018.05.008

Abstract

Matrix-assisted laser desorption time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS), adapted for use in clinical microbiology laboratories, challenges current standards of microbial detection and identification. This article summarizes the capabilities of MALDI-TOF MS in diagnostic clinical microbiology laboratories and describes the underpinnings of the technology, highlighting topics such as sample preparation, spectral analysis, and accuracy. The use of MALDI-TOF MS in the clinical microbiology laboratory is growing, and, when properly deployed, can accelerate diagnosis and improve patient care.

Keywords: Bacterial identification; Clinical microbiology; MALDI-TOF; Mass spectrometry; Matrix-assisted laser desorption time of flight mass spectrometry.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Bacterial Infections / diagnosis
Bacterial Infections / microbiology
Bacterial Typing Techniques*
Humans
Microbial Sensitivity Tests*
Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization*