Arrangement and method for heating of a magnetic material

1. An arrangement ( 10 ) for heating of a magnetic material ( 100 ) located in the centre region of an inscribed sphere within a region of action, which arrangement comprises:

selection means ( 210 ) for generating a magnetic selection field ( 211 ) having a pattern in space of its magnetic field strength such that a first sub-zone ( 301 ) having a low magnetic field strength and a second sub-zone ( 302 ) having a higher magnetic field strength are formed in the region of action ( 300 ),

drive means ( 220 ) for changing the position in space of the two sub-zones ( 301 , 302 ) in the region of action ( 300 ) by means of a magnetic drive field ( 221 ) so that the magnetization of the magnetic material ( 100 ) changes locally, and

control means ( 76 ) for controlling the drive means ( 220 ) to change the position in space of the first sub-zone ( 301 ) along a sequence of locations around said inscribed sphere for so long and with such a frequency that the centre region of said inscribed sphere is heated.

2. An arrangement ( 10 ) as claimed in claim 1 ,

wherein said control means ( 76 ) is adapted for controlling the drive means ( 220 ) to change the position in space of the first sub-zone ( 301 ) along a two-dimensional sequence of locations on a circle, around said inscribed sphere.

3. An arrangement ( 10 ) as claimed in claim 1 ,

wherein said control means ( 76 ) is adapted for controlling the drive means ( 220 ) to change the position in space of the first sub-zone ( 301 ) along a three-dimensional sequence of locations on a sphere, around said inscribed sphere.

4. An arrangement ( 10 ) as claimed in claim 1 ,

wherein said control means ( 76 ) is adapted for controlling the drive means ( 220 ) to change the position in space of the first sub-zone ( 301 ) with constant angular velocity.

5. An arrangement ( 10 ) as claimed in claim 1 ,

wherein said control means ( 76 ) is adapted for controlling the drive means ( 220 ) to change the position in space of the first sub-zone ( 301 ) with a frequency in the range from 1 to 100 kHz.

6. An arrangement ( 10 ) as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving means ( 230 ) for acquiring detection signals, which detection signals depend on the magnetization in the region of action ( 300 ), which magnetization is influenced by the change in the position in space of the first and second sub-zone ( 301 , 302 ), and

processing means ( 74 ) for reconstructing an image of at least the centre region from the acquired detection signals.

7. An arrangement ( 10 ) as claimed in claim 1 ,

wherein magnetic material ( 100 ) comprises monodomain magnetic nanoparticles.

8. An arrangement ( 10 ) as claimed in claim 1 ,

wherein magnetic material ( 100 ) comprises monodomain magnetic nanoparticles encapsulated into liposomes, polymersomes or vesicles having an inner volume with viscosity equal or similar to that of water and separated by a hydrophobic membrane, wherein the magnetic particles are arranged in the inner volume.

9. An arrangement ( 10 ) as claimed in claim 1 ,

wherein said control means ( 76 ) is adapted for controlling the drive means ( 220 ) to change the position in space of the first sub-zone ( 301 ) with a frequency in the range from 10 to 30 kHz.

10. An arrangement ( 10 ) as claimed in claim 1 ,

wherein magnetic material ( 100 ) comprises colloidally stabilised monodomain magnetic nanoparticles encapsulated into liposomes, polymersomes or vesicles having an inner volume with viscosity equal or similar to that of water, and separated by a hydrophobic membrane, wherein the magnetic particles are arranged in the inner volume.