A team of researchers reported today that they have used tiny carbon capsules with iron, visible on the screen of a scanner to locate them precisely within the body and laser heated when they reach a tumor.
These carbon nanotubes with multiple layers that contain iron and are 10,000 times thinner than a human hair, described as a presentation today at the 52nd annual meeting of the American Association of Physicists in Medicine, in Philadelphia.
In the laboratory scientists Baptist Medical Center Wake Forest University (North Carolina) used a scanner for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to follow the trajectory of the particles inside the living tissue.
When they saw that the particles were close to a tumor they fired a laser beam and the rapid warming on that scale so small destroyed the tumor.
The method is the development of experimental technique for cancer treatment known as laser induced thermal therapy (TTIL) which uses laser energy to heat and destroy tumors.
The TTIL works because certain nanoparticles can absorb the energy of a laser and convert it into heat. If the nanoparticles are struck by lightning while inside the tumor free energy of high temperature and kill cancer cells.
But there is a problem with the TTIL: the scanner that doctors use the tumor can be clearly seen, but the particles are not seen.
Once injected into the patient they can not be traced and can be dangerous for him: if the laser reaches the particles away from the tumor when heat can destroy healthy tissue.
Hence the importance of this discovery.
The Wake Forest team has demonstrated for the first time, it is possible to make the particles visible on the MRI so as to allow the taking of the picture and simultaneous warming, according Xuanfeng Ding, who presented the study today in Philadelphia.
Because the particles are loaded with iron become visible to the scanner.
“For the treatment is very important that you can find exactly the nanoparticle inside the human body,” said Ding. “It’s really exciting to see that the tumor reached with the nanotube begins to decrease after treatment.”
If this method proves successful in the future could help people develop cancer, but still must prove that the technology is effective and safe.
Tags: carbon nanotubes, destroy cancerous tumors, Iron nanoparticles, magnetic resonance imaging, reach a tumor,