Patent ID: 9034653
Filing Date: 2015-05-19
Classification: G01N,H01J,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A method for determining the amount of a steroidal compound in each of a plurality of patient samples with a single mass spectrometric assay, wherein the steroidal compound prior to processing is the same in each patient sample, the method comprising: processing a plurality of patient samples differently to form a plurality of processed samples, wherein said processing in at least some of the plurality of the processed samples comprises subjecting each patient sample to a different Cookson-type derivatizing agent under conditions suitable to generate Cookson-type derivatized steroidal compounds, and wherein as a result of said processing, the steroidal compound in each processed sample is distinguishable by mass spectrometry from the steroidal compound in other processed samples; combining the processed samples to form a multiplex sample; subjecting the multiplex sample to an ionization source under conditions suitable to generate one or more ions detectable by mass spectrometry, wherein one or more ions generated from the steroidal compound from each processed sample are distinct from one or more ions from the steroidal compound from the other processed samples; detecting the amount of one or more ions from the steroidal compound from each processed sample by mass spectrometry; and relating the amount of one or more ions from the steroidal compound from each processed sample to the amount of the steroidal compound in each patient sample.