Controlling temperature in magnetic hyperthermia with low Curie temperature particles

Abstract

Hyperthermia induced by the heating of magnetic particles (MPs) in alternating magnetic field receives a considerable attention in cancer therapy. An interesting development in the studies dedicated to magnetically based hyperthermia is the possibility to control the temperature using MPs with selective magnetic absorption properties. This paper analyzes the temperature field determined by the heating of MPs having low Curie temperature (a FeCrNbB particulate system) injected within a malignant tissue, subjected to an ac magnetic field. The temperature evolution within healthy and tumor tissues was analyzed by finite element method simulations in a thermo-fluid model. The cooling effect produced by blood flowing in blood vessels was considered. This effect is intensified at the increase of blood velocity. The FeCrNbB particles, having the Curie temperature close to the therapeutic range, transfer the heat more homogeneous in the tumor keeping the temperature within the therapeutic range in whole tumor volume. Having the possibility to automatically control the temperature within a tumor, these particle type opens new research horizons in the magnetic hyperthermia.