Tandem-massenspektrometrie in der therapeutischen arzneimittelspiegel- bestimmung: Praxis und tücken der anwendung

Mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) coupled to HPLC has been one of the most expanding technologies in clinical chemistry and drug monitoring in the last years. The reason is its increasingly user-friendly operation and high sensitivity and specificity. However, so far no manufacturer has offered integrated and validated diagnostic systems to analyze defined parameters. The user is forced to develop and validate a method for each desired parameter. A major challenge in using LC/MS/MS is to manage the validation process and quality assurance in daily practice. Some basic pitfalls and drawbacks associated with LC/MS/MS in quantification mode have already been described in literature. However, especially the non-experienced user is challenged by additional problems that can be avoided or solved with some additional practical tips. Main aspects of method development and quality assurance in the daily use of LC/MS/MS systems are discussed in context with examples from the literature in this paper.