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© Springer Nature B.V. 2020
G. Sindona et al. (eds.), Toxic Chemical and Biological Agents, NATO Science
for Peace and Security Series A: Chemistry and Biology,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-024-2041-8_24
Chapter 24
Recent Advances in MALDI Mass
Spectrometry Imaging: A Cutting-Edge
Tool for the Diagnosis of Thyroid Nodules
Isabella Piga, Giulia Capitoli, Francesca Clerici, Stefania Galimberti,
Fulvio Magni, and Fabio Pagni
Abstract This study presents the implementation of a MALDI-MSI statistical tool
that could be used to assist pathologists in the diagnosis of indeterminate cases.
Keywords Thyroid · Fine needel aspiration · Proteomics · MALDI-MSI ·
cytological samples
24.1 Introduction
Approximately 20% of thyroid nodules Fine Needle Aspiration (FNA) are diagnosed as “indeterminate for malignancy”, and these patients undergo diagnostic
thyroidectomy, often unnecessary. MALDI-MSI represents a suitable tool to distinguish benign/malignant cases in different ex-vivo cytological smears taken from
surgical thyroid nodule [1].
I. Piga (*) · F. Clerici · F. Magni
Department of Medicine and Surgery, Proteomic and Metabolomic Unit, University of
Milano-Bicocca, Monza, Italy
e-mail: isabella.piga@unimib.it
G. Capitoli · S. Galimberti
Bicocca Bioinformatics Biostatistics and Bioimaging B4 Center, School of Medicine and
Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, Monza, Italy
F. Pagni
Department of Medicine and Surgery, Pathology Section, University of Milano-Bicocca,
Monza, Italy