The determination of partial pressures in vacuum systems is usually performed by mass spectrometers. The most common type is the QMS. Quadrupole mass spectrometers were developed decades ago and have been used by vacuum specialists as a diagnostic tool since then. In the first part of the paper the principles of these mass spectrometers are briefly reviewed together with the key features of the instruments. This is necessary to operate these instruments. In the second part the boundary conditions which arise from the application as residual gas analyser in UHV/XHV plants are described. These lead to special versions of mass spectrometers. Results obtained with these instruments and typical artefacts in mass spectra obtained in the UHV are discussed
