Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42062595›Full record

ArticleAnalytical and bioanalytical chemistry2026

Systematic assessment of different wash solvents for the analysis of small molecule metabolites using mass spectrometry imaging.

Barbara Matić, Lieby Zborovsky, Min Qiu, Katrin Jana Frank, Kıvanç Görgülü, Nicole Strittmatter

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Analytical and bioanalytical chemistry, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Barbara MatićDepartment of Biosciences, School of Natural Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Garching b. Munich, 85748, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0009-5731-0513
Lieby ZborovskyDepartment of Biosciences, School of Natural Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Garching b. Munich, 85748, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6730-8569
Min QiuDepartment of Biosciences, School of Natural Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Garching b. Munich, 85748, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0006-8776-9606
Katrin Jana FrankComprehensive Cancer Center München, Institute for Tumor Metabolism, Klinikum Rechts Der Isar, Technical University of Munich, School of Medicine and Health, Munich, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7913-4794
Kıvanç GörgülüComprehensive Cancer Center München, Institute for Tumor Metabolism, Klinikum Rechts Der Isar, Technical University of Munich, School of Medicine and Health, Munich, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1613-1422
Nicole StrittmatterDepartment of Biosciences, School of Natural Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Garching b. Munich, 85748, Germany. nicole.strittmatter@tum.de.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1277-9608

Funding

Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft 492436553Deutsche Krebshilfe Short Term FellowshipH2020 European Research Council 101163588
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Wash protocols are a simple, commonly used approach to enhance the detectability of low-abundant or poorly ionisable compounds in mass spectrometry imaging (MSI). The washing procedures aim to enhance analyte ionisation by removing interfering metabolites that affect the ionisation efficiency and detection of the target metabolites. However, despite the widespread use of wash protocols in MSI, their impact on small molecule metabolites (SMM) has not been systematically evaluated. In this study, 12 different aqueous and organic wash solvents were investigated to assess their impact on the signal intensities of SMMs in tumour tissue using desorption electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry imaging (DESI-MSI). The added wash steps proved to be a promising tool for increasing detection sensitivity for targeted metabolites, with >90% of analytes investigated here showing increased sensitivity following the optimum wash solvent step. While chloroform was found most efficient in removing lipids overall, the most versatile solvent to significantly enhance the detection of polar and semi-polar metabolites, including amino acids, nucleic acid compounds, sugars, and organic acids, was found to be ethyl acetate. In contrast, water-based washes enhanced fatty acids and lipids while removing hydrophilic metabolites. This study emphasises the importance of adjusting pretreatment protocols to the molecular class of interest and provides a targeted guide for increasing ion detection sensitivity across a broad range of metabolites.

Indexed as

MetabolomicsSolventsSpectrometry, Mass, Electrospray IonizationHumansSolventsIonisation efficiencyMS imagingSample preparationSpatial metabolomicsTumourWash protocols

Identifiers

PMID42062595
PMCPMC13619734

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.