Apparatus for non-invasive therapy of biological tissue using directed magnetic beams

An apparatus for treatment of a patient, comprising:

• a coil array comprising a multiplicity of coils made of electrically conductive material;
• a structure made of high-permeability material having a relative permeability value greater than 10,000, said structure being coupled to said coil array and positionable between the coils in the coil array and the patient;
• a current source coupled to said coils for supplying electrical current to said coils;
• and
• a pad made of flexible plastic material, wherein said coils are printed on said pad.

A method of therapeutically treating biological tissue, comprising the following steps:

• placing an array of electrically conductive coils near a portion of a patient's body with an intervening high-permeability material having a relative permeability value greater than 10,000 coupled to the electrically conductive coils and positioned between the electrically conductive coils and the patient's body;
• moving the high-permeability material relative to the array of electrically conductive coils to position the high-permeability material near the portion of the patient's body;
• and
• supplying said coils with an electrical current sufficient to cause said coils to generate a modulated magnetic field which is altered by the presence of the intervening high-permeability material.

A system for therapeutic treatment of a patient, comprising:

• a magnetic field transducer for transducing electrical signals into magnetic fields;
• a first sheet or disk made of high-permeability material having a relative permeability value greater than 10,000, said first sheet or disk being coupled to one side of said magnetic field transducer between the magnetic field transducer and the patient and movable relative to said magnetic field transducer in X, Y and Z directions;
• and
• a current source coupled to said magnetic field transducer for supplying electrical current thereto,
• wherein a first magnetic beam having a first profile is produced by the interaction of said first sheet or disk of high-permeability material with a magnetic field produced by said magnetic field transducer.