On the Evaluation of the Hyperthermic Efficiency of Magnetic Scaffolds

Matteo B Lodi; Antonios Makridis; Konstantina Kazeli; Theodoros Samaras; Makis Angelakeris; Giuseppe Mazzarella; Alessandro Fanti

doi:10.1109/OJEMB.2023.3304812

On the Evaluation of the Hyperthermic Efficiency of Magnetic Scaffolds

IEEE Open J Eng Med Biol. 2023 Aug 14:5:88-98. doi: 10.1109/OJEMB.2023.3304812. eCollection 2024.

Authors

Matteo B Lodi¹, Antonios Makridis², Konstantina Kazeli², Theodoros Samaras², Makis Angelakeris², Giuseppe Mazzarella¹, Alessandro Fanti¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Electrical and Electronic EngineeringUniversity of Cagliari 09123 Cagliari Italy.
² Nanostructure Characterization: Technology and ApplicationsCIRI-AUTH 57001 Thessaloniki Greece.

Abstract

Goal: Deep-seated tumors (DST) can be treated using thermoseeds exposed to a radiofrequency magnetic field for performing local interstitial hyperthermia treatment (HT). Several research efforts were oriented to the manufacturing of novel biocompatible magnetic nanostructured thermo-seeds, called magnetic scaffolds (MagS). Several iron-doped bioceramics or magnetic polymers in various formulations are available. However, the crucial evaluation of their heating potential has been carried out with significantly different, lab specific, variable experimental conditions and protocols often ignoring the several error sources and inaccuracies estimation. Methods: This work comments and provides a perspective analysis of an experimental protocol for the estimation methodology of the specific absorption rate (SAR) of MagS for DST HT. Numerical multiphysics simultions have been performed to outline the theoretical framework. After the in silico analysis, an experimental case is considered and tested. Results: From the simulations, we found that large overestimation in the SAR values can be found, due to the axial misplacement in the radiofrequency coil, while the radial misplacement has a lower impact on the estimated SAR value. Conclusions: The averaging of multiple temperature records is needed to reliably and effectively estimate the SAR of MagS for DST HT.

Keywords: Heating evaluation protocol; hyperthermia; magnetic biomaterials; specific absorption rate.

Grants and funding

The research leading to these results has received funding from the EuropeanUnion - NextGenerationEU through the Italian Ministry of University andResearch under PNRR - M4C2-I1.3 Project PE 00000019 “HEALITALIA” to Alessandro Fanti and Matteo Bruno Lodi CUP F53C22000750006 University of Cagliari. The views and opinions expressed are those of the authors onlyand do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the EuropeanCommission. Neither the European Union nor the European Commission can be held responsible for them.