Methods and systems for magnetic focusing of therapeutic, diagnostic or prophylactic agents to deep targets
Systems and methods are disclosed for trapping or focusing magnetizable particles comprising therapeutic agents at a distance using a dynamic magnetic field and feedback control, to enable the treatment of diseased areas deep inside a patient's body. The methods may be used to diagnose or treat diseased areas deep within a patient, for example tumors of the lungs, intestines, and liver, and is also useful in enhancing the permeability of solid tumors to chemotherapeutic agents.
1. A method for treating a patient comprising the steps of:
(A) administering a ferrofluid comprising a plurality of magnetizable objects to a patient;
(B) applying a dynamic magnetic field to the patient using external magnets;
(C) sensing and monitoring over time locations of the plurality of magnetizable objects within the patient;
(D) shaping the applied dynamic magnetic field in three spatial dimensions over a period of time space and time using a feedback control algorithm that dictates actuation and strength of the external magnets in response to said sensing and monitoring; and
(E) directing and focusing a selected concentration of the plurality of magnetizable objects within the ferrofluid to a deep target area within the patient in response to said shaping the applied dynamic magnetic field.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said ferrofluid comprises a therapeutic, diagnostic, visualization or prophylactic agent.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said plurality of magnetizable objects are coupled to a therapeutic, diagnostic, visualization or prophylactic agent.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said deep target area is at least 5 centimeters inside the patient.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said magnetizable objects are between about 1 nm and 1 mm in diameter.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein said magnetizable objects are between about 1 μm and 1 nm in diameter.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein said administering step comprises injecting said plurality of magnetizable objects into the patient.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein said magnetizable objects comprise a therapeutic, diagnostic, visualization or prophylactic agent.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein said magnetizable objects comprise a detectable label.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein said detectable label is a radioisotopic label, a paramagnetic label, a CARS (coherent anti-Stokes Raman Spectroscopy)-detectable label, a multiphoton fluorescence microscopy-detectable label, a harmonic microscopy-detectable label, an acoustic imaging-detectable label, an impedance spectroscopy-detectable label or a reflectance spectroscopy-detectable label.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein said dynamic magnetic field has a rate of change of up to about 20 Tesla/second.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein said deep target area is associated with a cancer, a disease of the vascular system, an infection, or non-cancerous disease material.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein said deep target area is located at least 5 centimeters inside the patient.
14. The method of claim 1 , wherein said sensing and monitoring step comprises using magnetic resonance imaging.
15. The method of claim 1 , further comprising a feedback controller to control the dynamic magnetic field in response to said sensing and monitoring.
16. The method of claim 1 , wherein an effectiveness of said selected concentration of the plurality of magnetizable objects for treating the patient is measured over a period of time.
17. The method of claim 1 , wherein said shaping step comprises controlling the external magnets in time.
18. A method for treating a patient consisting essentially of the steps of:
(A) administering a ferrofluid comprising a plurality of magnetizable objects to a patient;
(B) applying a dynamic magnetic field to the patient using external magnets;
(C) sensing and monitoring over time locations of the plurality of magnetizable objects within the patient;
(D) shaping the applied dynamic magnetic field in three spatial dimensions over a period of time using a feedback control algorithm that dictates actuation and strength of the external magnets in response to said sensing and monitoring; and
(E) directing and focusing a selected concentration of the plurality of magnetizable objects within the ferrofluid to a deep target area within the patient in response to said shaping the applied dynamic magnetic field.
19. The method of claim 18 , wherein said ferrofluid comprises a therapeutic, diagnostic, visualization or prophylactic agent.
20. The method of claim 18 , wherein said plurality of magnetizable objects are coupled to a therapeutic, diagnostic, visualization or prophylactic agent.
21. The method of claim 18 , wherein said magnetizable objects comprise a therapeutic, diagnostic, visualization or prophylactic agent.
22. The method of claim 18 , wherein the deep target area is at least 5 centimeters inside the patient.
23. The method of claim 18 , wherein said magnetizable objects are between about 1 nm and 1 mm in diameter.
24. The method of claim 23 , wherein said magnetizable objects are between about 1 μm and 1 nm in diameter.
25. The method of claim 18 , wherein said magnetizable objects comprise a detectable label.
26. The method of claim 25 , wherein said detectable label is a radioisotopic label, a paramagnetic label, a CARS (coherent anti-Stokes Raman Spectroscopy)-detectable label, a multiphoton fluorescence microscopy-detectable label, a harmonic microscopy-detectable label, an acoustic imaging-detectable label, an impedance spectroscopy-detectable label or a reflectance spectroscopy-detectable label.
27. The method of claim 18 , wherein said dynamic magnetic field has a rate of change of up to about 20 Tesla/second.
28. The method of claim 18 , wherein said deep target area is associated with a cancer, a disease of the vascular system, an infection, or non-cancerous disease material.