Methods for full resolution data exploration and visualization for large 2D and 3D mass spectrometry imaging datasets

Abstract

Mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) produces such large amounts of high-resolution data that fast visualization of full data sets in both high spatial and spectral resolution is often problematic. Instrument specific software tools are available, but often struggle with the size and the complexity of the MSI data sets. We describe new methods to improve the handling of these large MSI data sets by means of innovative data structures and visualization strategies developed specifically for MSI. Two new software instruments implement these new methods for rapid data exploration and visualization of both 2D and 3D data sets in full spatial and spectral resolution, and can handle existing MSI data formats, including imzML and BioMap.