Microcomputed tomography analysis of ferrofluids used for cancer treatment

Abstract

In order to reduce the side effects generated by the most common cancer treatmenttherapies, chemo- and radiotherapy, two new approaches are being investigated. These newapproaches are magnetic drug targeting (MDT) and magnetic hyperthermia, and are basedon the use of magnetic nanoparticles. In the first one, these magnetic nanoparticles areused as drug carriers and the success of the treatment depends on the correctdistribution of the drug within the tumour tissue. Computed tomography analysis hasbeen performed on tumour tissue after MDT in order to find out the distributionof the nanoparticles. The measurements have been carried out in two differentlaboratories, one based on a synchrotron beamline and another one with a conex-ray source. First results show that the drug carriers form clusters within thetumour tissue.