Neutral steroids are difficult to analyse using desorption ionisation methods coupled with mass spectrometry (MS). However, steroids with an unhindered ketone group can readily be derivatised with the Girard P (GP) reagent to give GP hydrazones. Steroid GP hydrazones contain a quaternary nitrogen atom and are readily desorbed in the matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation (MALDI) process, giving an improvement in sensitivity of two orders of magnitude. Steroids without a ketone group, but with a 3β-hydroxy-Δ 5 function, can be readily converted to 3-oxo-Δ 4 steroids and subsequently derivatised to GP hydrazones for MALDI analysis. In addition to giving strong [ M] + ions upon MALDI, steroid GP hydrazones give informative post-source decay (PSD) spectra. By using the accurate mass of the precursor-ion measured by MALDI-MS, in combination with the structural information encoded in its PSD spectrum, steroid structures can readily be determined.