Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation mass spectrometric imaging (MALDI MSI) is a technique that provides localized information on intact molecules in a sample. Micro X-ray fluorescence (μXRF) imaging allows the examination of the spatial distribution of elements in a sample without any morphological changes. These methods have already been applied separately to different tissues, organs, plants and bacterial films, but, to the best of our knowledge, they have yet to be coupled in a multimodal analysis. In this proof-of-principle study, we established and tested sample preparation strategies, allowing the multimodal analysis of lipids (sphingomyelin and phosphatidylcholines) and elements relevant to bone structures as calcium, phosphorous and sulphur in the very same sample section of a chicken phalanx without tissue decalcification. The results of the investigation of such parameters as adhesive tapes supporting tissue sections, and the sequence of the imaging experiments are presented. We show specific lipid distributions in skin, cartilage, muscle, nail, and the intact morphology of bone by calcium and phosphorus imaging. A combination of molecular and elemental imaging was achieved, thus, providing now for the first time the possibility of gathering MALDI MSI and μXRF information from the very same sample without any washing steps omitting therefore the analytical artifacts that inevitably occur in approaches using consecutive tissue sections. The proposed combination can benefit in research studies regarding bone diseases, osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, cartilage failure, bone/tendon distinguishing, where elemental and lipid interaction play an essential role.

Gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBcAs) are frequently used in patients undergoing magnetic resonance imaging. in GBcAs gadolinium (Gd) is present in a bound chelated form. Gadolinium is a rareearth element, which is normally not present in human body. though the blood elimination half-life of contrast agents is about 90 minutes, recent studies demonstrated that some tissues retain gadolinium, which might further pose a health threat due to toxic effects of free gadolinium. It is known that the bone tissue can serve as a gadolinium depot, but so far only bulk measurements were performed. Here we present a summary of experiments in which for the first time we mapped gadolinium in bone biopsy from a male patient with idiopathic osteoporosis (without indication of renal impairment), who received MRI 8 months prior to biopsy. In our studies performed by means of synchrotron radiation induced micro-and submicro-X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (SR-XRF), gadolinium was detected in human cortical bone tissue. The distribution of gadolinium displays a specific accumulation pattern. Correlation of elemental maps obtained at AnKA synchrotron with qBei images (quantitative backscattered electron imaging) allowed assignment of Gd structures to the histological bone structures. follow-up beamtimes at eSRf and Diamond Light Source using submicro-SR-XRf allowed resolving thin Gd structures in cortical bone, as well as correlating them with calcium and zinc. The method of contrast-enhanced MRI (CE-MRI) dates to 1988, when the first gadolinium (Gd)-based contrast agent (GBCA), gadopentetate dimeglumine (Magnevist, Bayer), was approved for clinical use. CE-MRI is a useful imaging tool nowadays, with approximately 30 million procedures done each year worldwide, and more than 300 million procedures already performed to date 1. Estimates show that the GBCAs are administered in 25-35% of all MRI examinations 1,2. According to the data available, most of the administered dose of GBCAs (regardless of an agent used), should be cleared in less than 2 and >95% by 24 hours 3. Recent findings, however, demonstrate that the GBCAs are not fully excreted and the accumulation of Gd in, e.g. neuronal tissues and organs such as brain takes place 4. The GBCAs are considered to be rather safe, yet there is a number of papers reporting nephrotoxic, hematotoxic, hepatotoxic and neurotoxic effects observed in animals and humans 5. One of the most serious adverse reactions associated with the use of GBCAs is nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF), which had been observed in patients with renal insufficiency 6. NSF is a rare, but serious disease characterized by widespread tissue hardening (primarily skin is affected) with fibrotic nodules and plaques. First described in 1997, it was finally linked to the use of GBCAs in patients with kidney dysfunction in 2006 6,7. The pathophysiological mechanism involved

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BACKGROUND The elemental composition of herbal infusions and teas has not been sufficiently investigated. It could potentially be used for defining fingerprints for individual herbal / tea infusions, differentiation of botanical families, detecting the influence of packaging, and other purposes. The objective of this study was to determine the elemental composition, including the trace element content, of various herbal infusions and teas by means of total reflection X‐ray fluorescence analysis (TXRF), with a chemometrics approach using principal component analysis (PCA). RESULTS This study determined the elemental composition of various herbal infusions and teas, including trace elements, using total reflection X‐ray fluorescence (TXRF). The methodology for the sample preparation was established, including the multiple‐steepings procedure for the two tea samples (Oolong and Pu‐erh). Data from 29 samples were collected. We hypothesized that the elemental content of infusions could reflect certain features, such as the influence of processing and the type of tea. CONCLUSION A chemometric approach (PCA) was applied, and differences between teas and herbal infusions were found. This was further corroborated by explicit differentiation of one botanical family, Theaceae. The influence of packaging (tea bags) on herbal material was identified. The three types of tea ( Camellia sinensis ) appeared to be separated with PCA, and elemental concentrations in Pu‐erh changed with multiple steepings.

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