Clinical mass spectrometry: A short review

The range of clinical applications outlined briefly here is broad and constantly expanding. Applications include analysis of small molecules, multi-steroid panels, newborn screening and targeted proteins. In addition, much research is being conducted in the pioneering fields of proteomics and metabolomics. The diversification and improvements in LC and MS technology seen over the past few decades including the use of tandem mass spectrometry, different mass analysers, improved ionisation sources, the introduction of ultra high pressure LC and on-line extraction and multiplexing mean that questions are being answered in clinical MS laboratories that a decade ago were only attempted in research laboratories. There is no doubt that MS will continue to feature heavily in the clinical biochemistry laboratory and with the continued technological improvements MS will certainly function as an important clinical research tool.