Imaging mass analysis data processing method and imaging mass spectrometer

摘要

In the case where the spatial measurement point intervals in imaging mass analysis data of two samples to be compared are different and where the degrees of spatial distribution spreading of substances are compared, one of the data is defined as a reference, the measurement point intervals in the other of the data are redefined so as to be equalized to the reference, and a mass spectrum at each virtual measurement point set as a result of the redefinition is obtained through interpolation or extrapolation based on a mass spectrum at an actual measurement points (S7). In the case where the arrays of the m/z values of mass spectra are different for each sample, the m/z value positions of the mass spectrum in one of the data are defined as a reference, and the intensity values corresponding to the reference m/z values are obtained through interpolation or extrapolation for the mass spectrum of the other of the data (S8). Because the measurement point intervals and the arrays of the m/z values are equalized in this way, the imaging mass analysis data can be combined with each other so as to be treated as one piece of data, whereby processing such as the creation of a peak matrix for a statistical analysis can be simply performed. Accordingly, a statistical analysis for comparing imaging mass analysis data respectively obtained from a plurality of samples can be simply performed, and the accuracy of the statistical analysis can be improved.