Imaging mass spectrometry (IMS) that utilizes matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization
(MALDI) technology can provide a molecular ex vivo view of resected organs or whole-body
sections from an animal, making possible the label-free tracking of both endogenous and
exogenous compounds with spatial resolution and molecular specificity. Drug distribution
and, for the first time, individual metabolite distributions within whole-body tissue sections
can be detected simultaneously at various time points following drug administration. IMS …

The determination of the localization of various compounds in a whole animal is valuable for
many applications, including pharmaceutical absorption, distribution, metabolism, and
excretion (ADME) studies and biomarker discovery. Imaging mass spectrometry is a
powerful tool for localizing compounds of biological interest with molecular specificity and
relatively high resolution. Utilizing imaging mass spectrometry for whole-body animal
sections offers considerable analytical advantages compared to traditional methods, such as …