Systems and methods for acquiring data for mass spectrometry images

1. A system for maximizing the data acquired from a sample in a mass spectrometry imaging experiment, comprising:

an ion source device;

a tandem mass spectrometer; and

a processor in communication with the ion source device and the tandem mass spectrometer that

instructs the ion source device to produce and transmit to the tandem mass spectrometer a plurality of ions for each location of two or more locations of a sample,

divides a mass range into two or more mass window widths, and

for each location of the two or more locations, instructs the tandem mass spectrometer to fragment the plurality of ions received for the each location using each mass window width of the two or more mass window widths and to analyze resulting product ions, producing a product ion spectrum for each mass window width and a plurality of product ion spectra for each location of the two or more locations.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the ion source device performs matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI).

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the ion source device performs liquid extraction surface analysis (LESA).

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the ion source device performs one of secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS), desorption electrospray ionization (DESI), or laser ablation electrospray ionization (LAESI).

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the two or more locations are two or more discrete spots on the sample.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the two or more locations are two or more raster lines on the sample.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor further both identifies and quantifies a compound for each location of the two or more locations using a plurality of product ion spectra for each location of the two or more locations after acquisition of ions at each location of the two or more locations.

8. A method for maximizing the data acquired from a sample in a mass spectrometry imaging experiment, comprising:

instructing an ion source device to produce and transmit to a tandem mass spectrometer a plurality of ions for each location of two or more locations of a sample using a processor;

dividing a mass range into two or more mass window widths using the processor; and

for each location of the two or more locations, instructing the tandem mass spectrometer to fragment the plurality of ions received for the each location using each mass window width of the two or more mass window widths and to analyze resulting product ions using the processor, producing a product ion spectrum for each mass window width and a plurality of product ion spectra for each location of the two or more locations.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the ion source device performs matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI).

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the ion source device performs liquid extraction surface analysis (LESA).

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the ion source device performs one of secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS), desorption electrospray ionization (DESI), or laser ablation electrospray ionization (LAESI).

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the two or more locations are two or more discrete spots on the sample.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the two or more locations are two or more raster lines on the sample.

14. The method of claim 8 , further comprising identifying and quantifying a compound for each location of the two or more locations using a plurality of product ion spectra for each location of the two or more locations after acquisition of ions at each location of the two or more locations using the processor.

15. A computer program product, comprising a non-transitory and tangible computer-readable storage medium whose contents include a program with instructions being executed on a processor so as to perform a method for maximizing the data acquired from a sample in a mass spectrometry imaging experiment, the method comprising:

providing a system, wherein the system comprises one or more distinct software modules, and wherein the distinct software modules comprise an imaging module and a sequential acquisition module;

instructing an ion source device to produce and transmit to a tandem mass spectrometer a plurality of ions for each location of two or more locations of a sample using the imaging module;

dividing a mass range into two or more mass window widths using the sequential acquisition module; and

for each location of the two or more locations, instructing the tandem mass spectrometer to fragment the plurality of ions received for the each location using each mass window width of the two or more mass window widths and to analyze resulting product ions using the sequential acquisition module, producing a product ion spectrum for each mass window width and a plurality of product ion spectra for each location of the two or more locations.

16. The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the ion source device performs matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI).

17. The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the ion source device performs liquid extraction surface analysis (LESA).

18. The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the ion source device performs one of secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS), desorption electrospray ionization (DESI), or laser ablation electrospray ionization (LAESI).

19. The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the two or more locations are two or more discrete spots on the sample.

20. The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the two or more locations are two or more raster lines on the sample.