Swab Spray Mass Spectrometry for Direct Tissue Analysis
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for analyzing metabolites in biological samples, such as nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and mass spectrometry (MS)-based techniques, face challenges including high detection limits and complex sample preparation protocols that destroy the native morphology of samples, making it difficult to correlate diagnostic results with their originating source.
Innovation Solution
The development of a swab spray MS technique, which uses a medical swab as both a sampling device and an electrospray probe for ambient ionization, allowing for direct analysis of neurological tissue without additional sample handling or pretreatment, enabling minimally-invasive sampling and point-of-care testing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If MS-based techniques are used for metabolite analysis, then detection sensitivity is improved, but sample preparation complexity increases and native morphology is destroyed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential function of sample collection from the complex MS preparation protocol, using a simple swab to collect tissue samples directly from the surgical site without requiring extraction, purification, or other work-up steps. This maintains detection sensitivity while eliminating complex sample preparation.
Solution Approach 2:
The swab serves multiple functions: it acts as both the sampling device for collecting tissue and as the substrate for direct MS analysis. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate sample preparation steps and preserves native morphology while enabling sensitive detection.
2Measurement precision
If complex sample preparation protocols are used, then detection sensitivity is improved, but native morphology is destroyed and diagnostic correlation becomes impossible
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the harmful extraction and purification steps from the sample preparation protocol, keeping only the essential function of sample collection. This allows native morphology to be preserved while still achieving sensitive detection through direct MS analysis of the swab-collected sample.
Solution Approach 2:
The swab creates a copy of the tissue sample surface that retains native morphology and can be directly analyzed by MS. This copy preserves the diagnostic information needed to correlate results with the originating source while enabling sensitive detection.
3Ease of operation
If traditional sampling methods are used, then sample collection is achieved, but additional sample handling and pretreatment are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the sampling device (swab) with the analysis substrate into a single integrated component. The swab collects tissue samples and serves as the direct substrate for MS analysis, eliminating the need for additional sample handling and pretreatment steps while maintaining operational simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The swab performs multiple functions sequentially: it collects tissue samples from the surgical site, retains the samples on its porous material, and serves as the substrate for direct MS analysis. This multi-functionality eliminates intermediate handling steps while keeping the operation simple and straightforward.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This technique provides rapid and straightforward analysis of tissue samples, enabling the diagnosis of neurological conditions like gliomas by monitoring tissue type, tumor infiltration, and IDH mutation status without interfering with surgical procedures, and can be applied to various diseases with known biomarkers.
Implementation Method 1
a probe having a conductive proximal portion coupled to a porous material at a distal portion of the probe that is configured to retain a portion of a sample that has contacted the porous material
Implementation Method 2
a voltage source operably coupled to the conductive proximal portion of the probe... Electrospray ionization occurs readily from the porous material of the swab tip
Implementation Method 3
a solvent source is also a component of the system and it is configured to apply solvent to the porous material
Data Source
AI summary
The invention generally relates to systems and methods for sample analysis using swabs. In certain aspects, the invention provides systems that include a probe having a conductive proximal portion coupled to a porous material at a distal portion of the probe that is configured to retain a portion of a sample that has contacted the porous material, and a mass spectrometer having an inlet. The system is configured such that the porous material at a distal portion of the probe is aligned over the inlet of the mass spectrometer.