Inclusive sharing of mass spectrometry imaging data requires a converter for all.
With continued efforts towards a single MSI data format, data conversion routines must be made universally available. The benefits of a common imaging format, imzML, are slowly becoming more widely appreciated but the format remains to be used by only a small proportion of imaging groups. Increased awareness amongst researchers and continued support from major MS vendors in providing tools for converting proprietary formats into imzML are likely to result in a rapidly increasing uptake of the format. It is important that this does not lead to the exclusion of researchers using older or unsupported instruments. We describe an open source converter, imzMLConverter, to ensure against this. We propose that proprietary formats should first be converted to mzML using one of the widely available converters, such as msconvert and then use imzMLConverter to convert mzML to imzML. This will allow a wider audience to benefit from the imzML format immediately.
PSIBS Doctoral Training Centre, School of Chemistry, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom; School of Chemistry, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom.
Alan M
AM
Race
School of Computer Science, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom.
Iain B
IB
Styles
PSIBS Doctoral Training Centre, School of Chemistry, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom; School of Chemistry, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom. Electronic address: j.bunch@bham.ac.uk.
Josephine
J
Bunch
D022126:Access to Information; D016494:Computer Security; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D030562:Databases, Protein; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging / Q000379:methods; D004864:Equipment and Supplies; D006801:Humans; D033181:Information Dissemination / Q000379:methods*; D016247:Information Storage and Retrieval / Q000379:methods; D013058:Mass Spectrometry / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D008954:Models, Biological; D012984:Software