Research results on biomagnetic imaging of the lung tumors

Recent results on the development and implementation of a novel technology for lung tumor detection and imaging is presented. This technology offers high-sensitivity imaging of magnetic nanoparticles to provide specific diagnostic images of early lung tumors and potential distant metastases. Recent developments in giant magnetostrictive (GMS) or magnetic shape memory (MSM) materials have led to the possibility of developing small, low-cost, room-temperature, portable, high-sensitivity, fiber-optic sensors capable of robustly detecting magnetic nanoparticles, without direct contact with the skin. Magnetic nanoparticles are conjugated with antibodies, which target them to lung tumors. A prototype fiber-optic biomagnetic sensor, based on giant magnetostrictive or magnetic shape memory materials, with the requisite sensitivity to image the magnetic signals generated by antibody-labeled magnetic nanoparticles in lung tumors has been built and calibrated. The uniqueness of the biomagnetic sensor lies in the fact that it offers high sensitivity at room temperature, and is not a SQUID-based system. The results obtained during the process of choosing the right magnetostrictive materials are presented. Then, for the construction of an accurate image of the lung tumor, the optimum spatial distribution of one-channel sensors and nanoparticle polarization has been analyzed.