Imaging mass cytometry: High-dimensional and single-cell perspectives on the microenvironment of solid tumours

Imaging mass cytometry (IMC) is a new technology integrating mass spectrometry, high-resolution laser ablation and immunohistochemistry/cytochemistry. A unique high-dimensional perspective comprehensively and accurately depicts the complex interaction of phenotype, signalling pathway and tumour microenvironment and is widely used in solid tumours. However, the application scenarios of IMC in basic medicine and clinical research in solid tumours lack systematic introduction and classification. This paper reviews the application of IMC in depicting the panorama of the tumour microenvironment, revealing tumour spatial heterogeneity, clarifying tumour pharmacological mechanisms, assisting in new drug development, and dynamically evaluating the efficacy of immunotherapy in solid tumours. •IMC is a new technology integrating mass spectrometry, high-resolution laser ablation and immunohistochemistry.•This paper reviews the application of IMC in basic laboratory studies, preclinical studies and clinical observations in solid tumours.•It can depict the complex phenotypes in tissue and tumour microenvironment.•IMC is a powerful tool for solid tumour transformation research and precision treatment as new technology.•The existing research cases are classified and summarized, meanwhile the clinical trials using IMC are listed.