title: [Mass spectrometry for steroid assays].
abstract: Steroid hormone measurement, first developed with radioimmunoassay, is now becoming easier with the use of automated platforms of immunoassay. However, some hormones remain uneasily detectable because of their low blood concentration, their structural homology or the presence of interferences. Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) can be considered as an alternative to immunoassays. This approach allows the simultaneous determination of several parameters thanks to its selectivity led by the detector mass spectrometer and the separate dimension of chromatography liquid. In addition, recourse to UHPLC (ultra high performance liquid chromatography) allows improving selectivity and sensitivity while limiting the samples volumes. The "ready-to-use" kits are now available and added to the "homemade" techniques developed by laboratories, thus giving opportunity for measurement of a wide steroid panel with only one sample. Finally, mass spectrometry methods, including a prior extraction step, allow the use of varied biological fluids (blood, urine, saliva…). Also, several clinical indications could gain from mass spectrometry, especially when hormone levels are low, when several steroids have to be identified, when the sample volume is low. However, this technology represents an important financial investment and in-depth staff training. In addition, some steroids are not easily quantifiable by mass spectrometry. It is likely by immunoassay and mass spectrometry, well-matched technologies, that we could answer the best to clinical questions about steroids.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de médecine nucléaire, CHRU de Tours, Tours, France, Université François Rabelais de Tours, Tours, France, Inserm, U930, Imagerie et cerveau, Tours, France.
authors.forename: Diane
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dufour-Rainfray
authors.affiliation: Département de biochimie et génétique, CHRU d'Angers, Angers, France.
authors.forename: Valérie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Moal
authors.affiliation: Unité d'endocrinologie, nutrition et diabétologie, Médecine interne, CHRU de Tours, Tours, France, Université François Rabelais de Tours, Tours, France.
authors.forename: Lucie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cloix
authors.affiliation: Département de biochimie et génétique, CHRU d'Angers, Angers, France.
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mathieu
authors.affiliation: Pôle de biologie, Plateforme de radioactivité, CHRU de Grenoble, Grenoble, France.
authors.forename: Anne-Sophie
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Gauchez
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire hormonologie-marqueurs tumoraux, Service de médecine nucléaire, CHU de Bordeaux, Pessac, France.
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Brossaud
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire hormonologie-marqueurs tumoraux, Service de médecine nucléaire, CHU de Bordeaux, Pessac, France.
authors.forename: Jean-Benoît
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Corcuff
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de biochimie, CHU de Poitiers, France.
authors.forename: François
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fraissinet
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de médecine nucléaire, CHRU de Tours, Tours, France.
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Collet
authors.affiliation: Département de biochimie et génétique, CHRU d'Angers, Angers, France.
authors.forename: Florence
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Boux de Casson
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de médecine nucléaire, CHRU de Tours, Tours, France, Université François Rabelais de Tours, Tours, France, Inserm, U930, Imagerie et cerveau, Tours, France.
authors.forename: Denis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Guilloteau
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de médecine nucléaire, CHRU de Tours, Tours, France, Université François Rabelais de Tours, Tours, France, Inserm, U930, Imagerie et cerveau, Tours, France.
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Emond
authors.affiliation: Département de biochimie et génétique, CHRU d'Angers, Angers, France.
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Reynier
mesh_terms: D019326:17-alpha-Hydroxyprogesterone / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D001774:Blood Chemical Analysis / Q000379:methods*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D003350:Cortodoxone / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D013058:Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods*; D013256:Steroids / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D013739:Testosterone / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones; D013256:Steroids; D013739:Testosterone; D019326:17-alpha-Hydroxyprogesterone; D003350:Cortodoxone; D006854:Hydrocortisone
keywords: 11-deoxycortisol; 17-hydroxyprogesterone; LC-MS/MS; cortisol; testosterone