tandem mass spectrometry


multistage/mass spectrometry

An analytical procedure which recognises ions as reactive entities that can be interrogated. The prototype MS/MS instrument consists of two independently operated mass analysers linked by a reaction region in which the ion can be induced to react. Induction often occurs by collision (collision-induced dissociation) in which a selected higher-mass ion dissociates to a smaller fragment ion. In this simple conceptual instrument, three experiments are possible: precursor ion scan, product ion scan, and constant neutral loss scan. MS/MS recurring over multiple steps is known as MSn.

tandem mass spectrometry

Abbreviation: MS/MS
An analytical device that can rapidly assess the biochemical makeup of hundreds of specimens by measuring the mass-to-charge ratio of molecules. Synonym: tandem mass assay See: high-performance liquid chromatography; mass spectrometry

Patient care

It is used in clinical laboratories to screen newborn infants for metabolic disorders such as fatty acid oxidation deficiencies, organic acid disorders, and congenital adrenal hyperplasia.

See also: spectrometry