Cell, tissue and organ protection using a magnetic field

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016263390-A1
Application number	US-201415032645-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 29, 2014
Priority date	Oct 29, 2013
Publication date	Sep 15, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Methods and apparatus are provided for applying low magnetic fields (<400 G) to mammalian cells, tissues and organs for protection from the damaging effects of ionizing radiation and other oxygen dependent injuries that involve the radical pair mechanism. The magnetic fields are generated by fixed magnets or active magnets and used to enhance the survival of healthy cells during radiation treatment for cancer, to protect workers from radiation within nuclear power plants, to protect astronauts from radiation during long space voyages, to increase working time in exposed environments, to provide a safe room in hazardous locations, and to protect normal tissue during radiation treatment and in medical imaging modalities that use ionizing radiation (X-ray, CT, mammography). The method described herein may also be used to mitigate the damaging effects of reperfusion, stroke, oxygen toxicity, inflammation, autoimmune disease, and the like by applying protective magnetic fields.

First claim

What is claimed:

1 . A method of treating diseases and injuries of a patient's body involving a radical pair mechanism, comprising:
exposing a patient to a source of ionizing radiation; and simultaneously applying to the patient in a magnetic field having a field strength of between 20 G and 400 G.

2 . A method as in claim 1 , wherein the magnetic field is applied to a patient diagnosed or believed to have experienced injury from cardiac ischemic reperfusion, oxygen toxicity, chronic inflammation, autoimmune diseases, or stroke.

3 . A method as in claim 1 , wherein the field strength is between 20 G and 400 G and is applied to normal cells of the patient.

4 . A method as in claim 3 , wherein the field strength is between 60 G and 300 G.

5 . A method as in claim 2 , wherein the field strength is between 20 G and 400 G and is applied to cardiomyocytes of the patient.

6 . A method as in claim 5 , wherein the field strength is between 60 G and 300 G.

7 . An apparatus for effectively reducing the effective dose of ionizing radiation applied to a patient, comprising:
a source of ionizing radiation to which the patient is exposed; and a permanent magnet or active electro-magnet that generates a magnetic field having a field strength of between 20 G and 400 G that applies said magnetic field to the patient while the patient is exposed to said ionizing radiation.

8 . An apparatus as in claim 7 , wherein the field strength is between 60 G and 300 G.

9 . A method of reducing the effective dose of ionizing radiation in a patient and/or reducing the damaging effects of cardiac reperfusion, stroke, oxygen toxicity, inflammation, autoimmune disease, and the like, comprising:
applying a magnetic field having a field strength of between 20 G and 400 G to normal cells or cardiomyocytes of a patient diagnosed or believed to have experienced injury from cardiac ischemic reperfusion, oxygen toxicity, chronic inflammation, autoimmune diseases, or stroke.

10 . A method as in claim 9 , wherein the field strength is between 60 G and 300 G.

Assignees

• Univ Pennsylvania

Inventors

• Dougherty Lawrence
• Pilla James J
• Cengel Keith A
• Kassaee Alireza

Classifications

• A61N2/02 Primary

  using magnetic fields produced by coils, including single turn loops or electromagnets (A61N2/12 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A61N2/002 Primary

  in combination with another treatment · CPC title

• A61N5/10

  X-ray therapy; Gamma-ray therapy; Particle-irradiation therapy (A61N5/01 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A61N2005/1094

  Shielding, protecting against radiation · CPC title

• A61N2/06

  using magnetic fields produced by permanent magnets (A61N2/12 takes precedence) · CPC title