Neo Source INSTRUMENT launches an imaging ion source compatible with mass spectrometers from three major brands: existing mass spectrometers can be upgraded to imaging mass spectrometers

Hefei Neo Source INSTRUMENT Technology Co., Ltd. has recently officially launched the MSI DPI electrospray/photochemical ionisation mass spectrometry imaging source product range. This product is compatible with the three leading mass spectrometry brands—Agilent, AB SCIEX and Thermo—allowing laboratories to acquire mass spectrometry imaging capabilities simply by retrofitting their existing mass spectrometers with the imaging source, without the need to purchase a complete mass spectrometry imaging system. This “add-on upgrade” model significantly lowers the barrier to entry for mass spectrometry imaging technology.

Compatibility design: one mass spectrometer, two capabilities

The MSI DPI mass spectrometry imaging ion source is available in three models, each corresponding to one of the three major mass spectrometry brands:

• MSI DPI-25A: Compatible with Agilent mass spectrometers

• MSI DPI-25S: Compatible with AB SCIEX mass spectrometers

• MSI DPI-25T: Compatible with Thermo mass spectrometers

The installation process requires no modification to the main structure of the mass spectrometer; the imaging source connects to the mass spectrometer via a standard interface and is ready for immediate use. Once installed, the same mass spectrometer can perform both routine mass spectrometry analysis and mass spectrometry imaging—one instrument, two analytical capabilities.

The imaging source measures 340 × 270 × 250 mm and weighs 24 kg; it can be placed on a laboratory bench next to the mass spectrometer without the need for additional space modifications. The operating environment temperature is 15–30 °C, relative humidity 20–85 per cent, and AC power supply 220 V ± 22 V, 50 Hz ± 1 Hz, making it suitable for standard laboratory conditions.

Dual-ionisation architecture: DESI + photochemical secondary ionisation

The MSI DPI mass spectrometry imaging source employs a dual-ionisation architecture comprising desorption electrospray ionisation (DESI) and photochemical secondary ionisation (PI).

The DESI spray desorbs molecules from the tissue surface, generating primary ions and neutral molecules. The primary ions enter the mass spectrometer directly for detection—this aspect is entirely consistent with traditional DESI imaging sources. The key difference lies in the addition, downstream of the DESI spray device, of a vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) photoionisation system and a high-efficiency ion transfer conduit; as the neutral molecules pass through the photoionisation region, they are ionised by VUV photons into secondary ions, which then enter the mass spectrometer via the high-efficiency ion transfer conduit for detection.

By switching the photoionisation source on or off, users can obtain imaging data in both DESI mode (primary ionisation only) and DESI/PI mode (primary ionisation + secondary ionisation) from the same sample. Superimposing the data from both modes yields mass spectrometry imaging results with full polarity coverage.

This design avoids the need to choose between “traditional DESI” and the “new method” – both modes are available on the same instrument, switchable at the touch of a button, providing two sets of data from the same sample for comprehensive information.

Performance enhancement: signal intensity increased by 1–3 orders of magnitude

The introduction of post-photoionisation technology has enabled the MSI DPI mass spectrometry imaging ion source to achieve a significant improvement in detection capability compared to traditional DESI imaging sources.

Detection coverage has been expanded. Traditional DESI can only detect highly polar molecules, resulting in systematic omissions of non-polar molecules. The DESI/PI mode of the MSI DPI eliminates polarity bias, enabling the detection of hundreds of new secondary metabolites—including lipids, terpenes, flavonoids, amino acids and glycosides—in both positive and negative ion modes.

A leap in sensitivity. Overall metabolite signal intensity has increased by 1–3 orders of magnitude. In tea leaf imaging, the theanine signal was enhanced by a factor of 14.5, whilst the caffeine signal was enhanced by a factor of 61. In mouse brain slice imaging, the cholesterol signal was enhanced by a factor of 205—transforming it from virtually invisible to clearly discernible.

Reduced ion suppression. Photochemical secondary ionisation utilises the direct interaction between photons and neutral molecules, and does not rely on charge competition mechanisms within droplets; consequently, the ion suppression effect is significantly reduced. Complex samples such as traditional Chinese medicinal materials, blood and natural products can be analysed directly on the instrument, without the need for cumbersome pre-treatment procedures such as tissue washing, solvent washing or chemical derivatisation.

Sample integrity is preserved. Tissue sections remain intact after imaging and can undergo further pathological examinations, such as H&E staining. Mass spectrometry imaging and traditional pathological examinations can be carried out sequentially on the same section.

Convenient maintenance: proprietary titanium alloy ion transfer tube

The MSI DPI mass spectrometry imaging source incorporates several practical design features to facilitate maintenance.

The front end of the proprietary titanium alloy ion transmission tube is polished to prevent sample damage; no specialised tools are required for disassembly or cleaning, and routine maintenance involves only periodic cleaning of the ion transmission tube. The ionisation chamber’s dedicated temperature control design supports stable, prolonged heating at 320–350°C, whilst the photoionisation module works in precise coordination with the scanning platform to support long-term continuous operation and ensure good data reproducibility.

The product comes with a 12-month warranty. As a domestically developed product, it benefits from rapid local technical support and can provide customised mass spectrometers and core components tailored to individual customer requirements.

Products in the same series: MSI LDPI meets micrometre-level imaging requirements

Launched simultaneously with the MSI DPI, the MSI LDPI laser/photochemical ionisation mass spectrometry imaging source utilises a transmission laser desorption combined with post-photochemical ionisation technical architecture, achieving a spatial resolution of 2–3 μm. This product requires no matrix spraying and is free from matrix background interference; it can detect compounds with a charge-to-mass ratio as low as m/z 70, covering a molecular mass range of 70–1000 MW.

The MSI LDPI is also compatible with the three major mass spectrometry brands—Agilent, AB SCIEX and Thermo—and is suitable for cutting-edge research applications such as life sciences, pathological diagnosis and drug development that require imaging at the single-cell scale.

The combination of these two products covers the full spatial scale ranging from 20–200 μm (MSI DPI) to 2–3 μm (MSI LDPI), meeting diverse requirements from macroscopic tissue scanning to subcellular-level detailed analysis.

Market Positioning and Industry Impact

Currently, commercial mass spectrometry imaging sources on the international market are primarily imported; they are expensive and suffer from fundamental limitations such as polarity discrimination and ion suppression. The MSI DPI and MSI LDPI mass spectrometry imaging ion sources launched by Hefei Xinceyuan have been independently developed from core design to key components. They match or exceed the technical performance of comparable imported products, whilst offering significant advantages in terms of price and localised service.

The ‘retrofit upgrade’ compatibility design further lowers the market barrier to entry. According to industry analysis, there is a vast number of laboratories in China equipped with Agilent, AB SCIEX or Thermo mass spectrometers; previously constrained by the procurement costs of imaging systems, the majority of these laboratories were not equipped with mass spectrometry imaging capabilities. The launch of the MSI DPI enables these laboratories to obtain the full functionality of a mass spectrometry imager at the cost of retrofitting an imaging source, which is expected to significantly expand the application of mass spectrometry imaging technology in domestic scientific research and industry.

Hefei Neo Source INSTRUMENT Technology Co., Ltd. was established in 2026, focusing on the field of mass spectrometers and supporting equipment, with independent control over core technologies as the foundation of its development. The company’s Chief Scientist, Professor Pan Yang, is a professor at the National Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory of the University of Science and Technology of China. His team’s series of achievements in post-photoionisation mass spectrometry imaging technology have been published in journals such as *Analytical Chemistry*, providing academic support for the technical principles underlying the two products: MSI DPI and MSI LDPI.