Magnetic particle control and visualization
AssigneePulse Therapeutics, Inc.
InventorFrancis M. Creighton
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Some embodiments provide a system for external manipulation of magnetic nanoparticles in vasculature using a remotely placed magnetic field-generating stator. In one aspect, the systems and methods relate to the control of magnetic nanoparticles in a fluid medium using permanent magnet-based or electromagnetic field-generating stator sources. Such a system can be useful for increasing the diffusion of therapeutic agents in a fluid medium, such as a human circulatory system, which can result in substantial clearance of fluid obstructions, such as vascular occlusions, in a circulatory system resulting in increased blood flow.
Claims20
A method of facilitating navigation of a therapeutic agent or contrast agent to a region within vasculature of a patient, the method comprising:
- introducing a plurality of magnetic nanoparticles within the vasculature of the patient,
- wherein the magnetic nanoparticles have a diameter between 15 nm and 150 nm;
- introducing the therapeutic agent or contrast agent within the vasculature of the patient;
- and
- causing one or more permanent magnets positioned external to the patient to be positioned and rotated in a manner sufficient to cause the magnetic nanoparticles to agglomerate to form a plurality of magnetic rods having a size between 0.1 and 2 mm within the vasculature and to cause the plurality of magnetic rods to travel toward a region that is totally or partially occluded to blood flow in response to a rotating magnetic field and a magnetic gradient of the one or more permanent magnets,
- wherein said causing the one or more permanent magnets positioned external to the patient to be positioned and rotated in a manner sufficient to cause the plurality of magnetic rods to travel toward the region generates a circulating fluid motion that enhances diffusion of the therapeutic agent or contrast agent to the region.
A method of facilitating navigation of a therapeutic agent or contrast agent to a region within vasculature of a patient, the method comprising:
- introducing a plurality of magnetic particles within the vasculature of the patient,
- introducing the therapeutic agent or contrast agent within the vasculature of the patient;
- and
- causing one or more permanent magnets positioned external to the patient to be positioned and rotated in a manner sufficient to cause the magnetic particles to agglomerate to form a plurality of magnetic ensembles within the vasculature and to cause the plurality of magnetic ensembles to travel toward a region that is totally or partially occluded to blood flow in response to a rotating magnetic field of the one or more permanent magnets,
- wherein said causing the one or more permanent magnets positioned external to the patient to be positioned and rotated in a manner sufficient to cause the plurality of magnetic ensembles to travel toward the region generates a circulating fluid motion that enhances diffusion of the therapeutic agent or contrast agent to the region.
A method of facilitating navigation of a therapeutic agent or contrast agent to a region within vasculature of a patient, the method comprising:
- introducing a plurality of magnetic nanoparticles within the vasculature of the patient,
- introducing the therapeutic agent or contrast agent within the vasculature of the patient;
- and
- causing one or more permanent magnets positioned external to the patient to be positioned and rotated in a manner sufficient to cause the magnetic nanoparticles to agglomerate to form a plurality of magnetic rods within the vasculature and to cause the plurality of magnetic rods to travel toward a very small vessel of the vasculature in response to a rotating magnetic field of the one or more permanent magnets,
- wherein said causing the one or more permanent magnets positioned external to the patient to be positioned and rotated in a manner sufficient to cause the plurality of magnetic rods to travel toward the very small vessel generates a circulating fluid motion that enhances diffusion of the therapeutic agent or contrast agent to the very small vessel and
- wherein the very small vessel is a vessel having a diameter between 1 μm and 10 μm.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.