Intracellular Temperature Measurement

This invention relates generally to a process for the exact measurement of the temperature within the cell and for the application of this process in detection and diagnosis of certain diseases such as cancer and also as instrumentation to assist in their treatment as described in Patent application Ser. No. 499,074, Dr. Robert Thomas Gordon, filed Aug. 20, 1974, abandoned and continued in application Ser. No. 651,395 filed Jan. 22, 1976.

There are presently a number of methods and techniques for the measurement of temperature in the body. These include the various surface techniques, they include certain probes which can be inserted into particular areas and various infra-red devices such as thermography, but there are no known methods of measuring the intracellular temperature of cells in the body.

It is therefore the purpose and the principle objective of the present invention to measure the intracellular temperature of cells within the body by measuring the magnetic characteristics of the particles introduced into these cells and translating this data into temperature readings.

The process described in this invention will make it possible, when obtained on a three dimensional basis, to construct a three dimensional model of the body or any part thereof and to show the exact temperature gradient that exists, thus greatly facilitating not only detection and diagnosis, but also treatment.

It is a well established fact that cancer cells have a higher resting temperature than do normal cells and this fact has been utilized to some extent in present cancer detection techniques; for example, in infra-red thermography which takes an infra-red picture of the body or any specific area and cancer sites will often show up as a slightly warmer area. The problem is that the effectiveness of this technique is limited to cancer cells which are at, or are near, the surface. Furthermore, since the outer membrane of cancer cells is a very effective thermal barrier, the temperature differential becomes more difficult to detect. Using the process embodied in this invention, it will not matter whether the cancer cells are near the surface or not, and the insulating properties of the cells' membrane will be completely bypassed, thus greatly facilitating true measurement readings and vastly improved cancer detection techniques.

In practice, this invention will afford patients a rapid, painless, harmless method for cancer detection. The patient will simply receive a intravenous injection of a harmless solution containing said minute particles and a short time later will enter a magnetically shielded room wherein the patient will be scanned in three dimensions by sensitive magnetic sensing equipment such as a vibrating magnetometer or a flux-gate magnetometer which will measure the magnetic characteristics of said particles which, in turn, will be calibrated to give an indication of the exact temperature of said particles. This data can then be reconstructed into a three dimensional model showing the exact temperature gradient and making possible the proper detection and diagnosis.

In the treatment process described in Patent application Ser. No. 651,395 filed on Jan. 22, 1976 by Dr. Robert Thomas Gordon, where it is desired to add an increment of heat in order to raise the temperature of the cells a specific amount, it is essential to know the exact cell temperature at all times. For example, the magnetometer equipment such as a flux-gate magnetometer will be synchronized with the high frequency electro-magnetic field generating equipment which raises the temperature of the particles so that the magnetic susceptibility measurement calibrated for corresponding temperature measurement is taken during one second interruptions in the application of this high frequency electro-magnetic field. These one second interruptions would be at 30 second intervals so that there would be continuous monitoring of the cells temperature. This data of the temperature increase in the particles obtained through the magnetometer type equipment during these one second interruptions would provide precise data on the temperature increase in the particle and would be fed into a computer which, in turn, would control the high frequency generator and make it possible to precisely control the increase in the intracellular increment of heat.

Magnetic susceptibility is measured by the ratio of the intensity of magnetization produced in a substance to the magnetizing force or intensity of the field to which it is subjected. This magnetic characteristic is routinely measured by magnetometer devices and is known to be temperature dependent; that is, it varies with the temperature. Thus, by taking particles and by measuring their magnetic susceptibility at various known temperatures, within the range of those temperatures expected to be used intracellularly, it is quite simple to calibrate the magnetometer equipment so that when it measures a magnetic characteristic of the particles intracellularly, a simple calibration will indicate the exact corresponding temperature of the particle.

The magnetic susceptibility of iron oxide varies with temperature as follows:

Having established the magnetic susceptibility for corresponding temperatures it follows that by measuring the magnetic susceptibility, the corresponding temperature can be determined by calibration and interpolation. For example, if the measurement of magnetic susceptibiity were 6960 .times. 10.sup.-6 c.g.s.u., it would indicate a temperature of 44.degree.0 C. and if the measurement of magnetic susceptibility were 6940 .times. 10.sup.-6 c.g.s.u., it would indicate a temperature of 46.degree. C.

Another important feature of the present invention is that in addition to its usefulness in furnishing data on a three dimensional scale for the entire body, it can also be used with special techniques for selectively directing the particles to specific area or organs by the use of antigens, antibodies, or enzymes and thereby furnish data relevant to other disorders, ailments, and/or diseases.

There are many variations to the invention as described and this invention should be limited solely by the scope of the following claims.