MALDI imaging for the analysis of tissue is a technique for which many see potential clinical applications. To unlock this potential, the technique needs to fit into clinical workflows in regards to speed, reproducibility, reliability and ease-of-use. Some of these aspects have multiple influences that come from the sample itself or the handling thereof, the matrix application or the MALDI instrument itself.
As instruments with a continuously moving sample stage and a scanning laser beam are introduced, a significant improvement in scan speed can be achieved. Increasing the speed is often associated with decreasing spectral or image quality, but anecdotally many operators have reported an improvement in image quality. Here we measure and quantify this improvement.