Method and composition for hyperthermally treating cells

A method of treating an infectious agent in a patient, the method comprising

• i) introducing a composition comprising an antiinfectious agent-antibody-labeled nanoparticle and a temperature indicating substance, wherein the nanoparticle forms an antiinfectious agent-antibody-labeled nanoparticle-cell complex in the patient,
• ii) exposing the patient to an energy source wherein the nanoparticles respond by expanding thus generating an acoustic signal,
• iii) measuring the acoustic signal and relating the measured signal to a temperature of the nanoparticle-cell complex, and
• iv) controlling the temperature of the nanoparticle-cell complex from about 40° C. to about 49° C. based on the acoustic signal to hyperthermally treat the infectious agent, destroying or rendering the infectious agent inactive.

A method of ameliorating a neurodegenerative process in a patient, the method comprising

• i) introducing a composition comprising an anti-neurodegenerative protein antibody-labeled nanoparticle and a temperature indicating substance into blood, brain, or cerebrospinal fluid of a patient, wherein the nanoparticle forms an anti-neurodegenerative protein-labeled nanoparticle complex at a target site in the patient,
• ii) exposing the patient to an energy source wherein the nanoparticles respond by expanding thus generating an acoustic signal,
• iii) measuring the acoustic signal and relating the measured signal to a temperature of the nanoparticle-cell complex based on the acoustic signal, and
• iv) controlling the temperature of the nanoparticle complex from about 39° C. to about 55° C. based on the acoustic signal to hyperthermally treat the target site, reducing, preventing aggregation of, or destroying the neurodegenerative protein.