Methods for detecting dehydroepiandrosterone by mass spectrometry
AssigneeQuest Diagnostics Investments Incorporated
InventorsAmit Ghoshal, Nigel J. Clarke, Richard E. Reitz
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Provided are methods for determining the amount of underivatized dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) in a sample using mass spectrometry. The methods generally involve ionizing DHEA in a sample and detecting and quantifying the amount of the ion to determine the amount of DHEA in the sample.
Claims31
A method for determining the amount of underivatized dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) in a test sample, said method comprising:
- a. ionizing DHEA from said test sample by atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) to produce one or more DHEA ions detectable by mass spectrometry, wherein one of said ions has a mass/charge ratio (m/z) of 253.10±0.50;
- and
- b. detecting the amount of one or more DHEA ions by mass spectrometry, wherein the detected amount of DHEA ion(s) is related to the amount of underivatized DHEA in said test sample.
A method for determining the amount of underivatized dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) by mass spectrometry in a serum or plasma sample when taken from a human, said method comprising:
- a. ionizing DHEA from said test sample by atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) to produce one or more DHEA ions detectable by mass spectrometry;
- and
- b. detecting the amount of one or more DHEA ions by mass spectrometry,
- wherein the detected amount of DHEA ion(s) is related to the amount of underivatized DHEA in said sample when taken from a human.
A method for determining the amount of underivatized dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) in a test sample by tandem mass spectrometry said method comprising:
- a. purifying DHEA in said test sample by high turbulence liquid chromatography (HTLC);
- b. ionizing DHEA by atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) to produce a DHEA precursor ion with a mass/charge ratio of 253.10±0.50;
- c. producing one or more fragment ions of said DHEA precursor ion;
- and
- d. detecting the amount of one or more of said ions produced in step (b) or (c) or both and relating the detected ions to the amount of underivatized DHEA in said test sample.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.