Tissue classification by rapid evaporative ionization mass spectrometry (REIMS): comparison between a diathermic knife and CO2 laser sampling on classification performance

Michele Genangeli,Tiffany Porta Siegel,Ron M A Heeren

doi:10.1007/s00216-019-02148-8

Michele Genangeli, Tiffany Porta Siegel + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-019-02148-8

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Abstract

The increasing need for rapid, in situ, and robust tissue profiling approaches in the context of intraoperative diagnostics has led to the development of a large number of ambient ionization-based surface sampling strategies. This paper compares the performances of a diathermic knife and a CO2 laser handpiece, both clinically approved, coupled to a rapid evaporative ionization mass spectrometry (REIMS) source for quasi-instantaneous tissue classification. Several fresh meat samples (muscle, liver, bone, bone marrow, cartilage, skin, fat) were obtained from different animals. Overall, the laser produced cleaner cuts and more reproducible and higher spectral quality signals when compared with the diathermic knife (CV laser = 9–12%, CV diathermic = 14–23%). The molecular profiles were subsequently entered into a database and PCA/LDA classification/prediction models were built to assess if the data generated with one sampling modality can be employed to classify the data generated with the other handpiece. We demonstrate that the correct classification rate of the models increases (+ 25%) with the introduction of a model based on peak lists that are tissue-specific and common to the two handpieces, compared with considering solely the whole molecular profile. This renders it possible to use a unique and universal database for quasi-instantaneous tissue recognition which would provide similar classification results independent of the handpiece used. Furthermore, the laser was able to generate aerosols rich in lipids from hard tissues such as bone, bone marrow, and cartilage. Combined, these results demonstrate that REIMS is a valuable and versatile tool for instantaneous identification/classification of hard tissue and coupling to different aerosol-generating handpieces expands its field of application.Graphical abstract

Highlights

Accurate tumor diagnosis during surgery solely relies on histopathological evaluation of frozen section and is still challenging
Woolman et al reported the combination of desorption electrospray ionization (DESI)-MS and a picosecond infrared laser (PIRL) MS as an ablation probe requiring minimal tissue removal for ex vivo/in situ imaging operations [12]. They suggested how the integration of PIRL with rapid evaporative ionization mass spectrometry (REIMS) is likely to increase the robustness of signal and reproducibility of PIRL due to the aspiration driven by the Venturi pump [13]
We compared the tissue classification rates and reproducibility of the following: (i) the principal component and linear discriminant analyses (PCA/LDA) molecular classification models built first with data generated with one sampling modality and employed to classify the data generated with the other handpiece; (ii) a more targeted approach where the models were built based on features that are common for both handpieces

Summary

Introduction

Accurate tumor diagnosis during surgery solely relies on histopathological evaluation of frozen section and is still challenging. The “SpiderMass” approach is based on a modified optical parametric oscillator (OPO) system pumped by an Nd:YAG infrared laser to superficially ablate tissue (micro invasiveness) for in vivo tissue classification [9] Clinical implementation of these two techniques for intraoperative diagnostics remains limited because they have not yet been approved as a medical device. Woolman et al reported the combination of DESI-MS and a picosecond infrared laser (PIRL) MS as an ablation probe requiring minimal tissue removal for ex vivo/in situ imaging operations [12] They suggested how the integration of PIRL with rapid evaporative ionization mass spectrometry (REIMS) is likely to increase the robustness of signal and reproducibility of PIRL due to the aspiration driven by the Venturi pump [13]

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