JP2518003B2 - Treatment equipment - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention has a magnetic field, in particular, a locally steep gradient,
The present invention relates to a therapeutic device using a gradient magnetic field that forms a molecular barrier that surrounds a diseased site at its focus and suppresses its metabolism.

[Conventional technology]

Cancer will be described as an example of a disease associated with rapid metabolism in the body.

FIG. 2 is, for example, “Measurement and Control”, Volume 22, No. 10, Showa 58.
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the concept of the configuration of a cancer treatment device called high-frequency magnetic hyperthermia (hyperthermia or hyperthermia), which is one of the conventional cancer treatment devices using a magnetic field described on page 863. (1) is a living body (human body), (2) is a cancer site inside the human body (1), and (3) is a high-frequency coil for heating the cancer site (2).

A conventional cancer treatment apparatus using a magnetic field is configured as described above. For example, if a high-frequency current is applied to the high-frequency coil (3) to generate a high-frequency magnetic field, the high-frequency magnetic field is generated around the cancer site (2) in the human body (1). An eddy current flows and the vicinity is heated. At this time, it is well known that cancer cells stop growing when they are kept at a temperature of 42 to 43 ° C. and eventually fall into a necrotic state as described in the above-mentioned journal.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention]

In the conventional treatment device using the magnetic field as described above, the diseased part is heated by the high frequency magnetic field, but this temperature control is important, and it is difficult to perform this accurately because of the inhomogeneity of the living body. There was a problem.

The present invention has been made to solve such a problem, and an object of the present invention is to obtain a therapeutic device capable of suppressing the metabolism of cells in a diseased part and causing necrosis thereof.

[Means for solving the problem]

A therapeutic apparatus using a magnetic field according to the present invention has a DC magnetic field almost uniform in a space including a living body having a disease site accompanied by rapid metabolism inside thereof, and a locally steep gradient and its focus. And a gradient magnetic field that forms a barrier for molecules surrounding the diseased site for a predetermined period of time, and magnetic field generating means is provided in each of three orthogonal directions.

[Action]

In the present invention, a steep gradient magnetic field forms a barrier of oxygen molecules surrounding the diseased site to suppress metabolism of the diseased site.

〔Example〕

FIG. 1 is a view showing the concept of the configuration of a cancer treatment apparatus using a magnetic field according to an embodiment of the present invention, and (1) and (2) are the same as the conventional example. (4x), (4y), (4z) are x,
It is a coil pair that is provided on each of the y and z axes and that generates a substantially uniform DC magnetic field in each axis direction, and is usually called a Helmholtz coil. (5x), (5y), (5z)
Is composed of a plurality of circular loop coil pairs provided on the x, y, and z axes, respectively, and generates a magnetic field having a steep local gradient in each axial direction. Higher order shim coils described in JP 61-172307 can be used. In this high-order shim coil, a magnetic field of a specific order can be generated by applying a current having a predetermined current ratio and direction to each circular loop coil pair, for example, 5
A pair of circular loop coils can generate a steep gradient magnetic field in the form of an octet function near the origin. As the coil, either superconducting or normal conducting can be used. Particularly, since (4x) to (4z) are for generating a DC magnetic field, a permanent magnet type may be used.

Next, the operation of the cancer treatment apparatus using magnetism configured as described above will be described. First, as described in "Journal of Japan Applied Magnetics", Vol. 11, No. 2, 1987, p. 445,
Under a steep gradient magnetic field, a paramagnetic barrier of oxygen molecules is formed, and the flow of carbon dioxide gas is blocked. on the other hand,
Generally, the force acting on a paramagnetic material is proportional to the product of the strength of the magnetic field and the magnitude of the gradient magnetic field. Therefore, as shown in FIG.
If a uniform DC magnetic field is applied by the coils (4x) to (4z) and a steep gradient magnetic field focus is applied to the vicinity of the cancer site by the coils (5x) to (5z) in three orthogonal directions, the cancer site A three-dimensional oxygen molecule barrier is formed so as to surround the. At this time, in order to focus the gradient magnetic field on the cancer site, the human body (1) is moved, or the current flowing through the coils (3x) to (3z), (4x) to (4z) is controlled to control the cancer site. The focus of the gradient magnetic field may be moved up to. Due to the barrier of oxygen molecules formed in this way, new oxygen cannot be supplied to the cancer cells, and since carbon dioxide, which is a product of metabolism, cannot be carried out to the outside, the cancer cells become acidic and metabolized. The cycle cannot be maintained. If the state in which the metabolism is suppressed continues for a predetermined period, necrosis can be finally reached. Here, since the cell division of cancer cells is more intense than that of normal cells, cancer cells need more oxygen and need to carry out carbon dioxide earlier. Is big.

Needless to say, it is better to limit the generation of the magnetic field to the vicinity of the cancer site so as not to damage the normal tissue around the cancer cell.

The present invention has the same effect not only for cancer but also for diseases associated with rapid metabolism in the body.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, the present invention has an almost uniform DC magnetic field in a space including a living body having a diseased part accompanied by rapid metabolism therein and a locally steep gradient, and its focus is near the diseased part. And a gradient magnetic field that forms a molecular barrier that surrounds the magnetic field for a predetermined period of time is provided with magnetic field generating means that respectively generate in three orthogonal directions, so that the metabolism of cells at the diseased site is suppressed. Has the effect of necrosis.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the concept of the configuration of a cancer treatment apparatus using a magnetic field according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the concept of the configuration of a conventional cancer treatment apparatus using a magnetic field. In the figure, (1) is a living body (human body), (2) is a disease (cancer) site, (4x) to (4z) are DC magnetic field generating means,
(5x) to (5z) are gradient magnetic field generating means. In the drawings, the same reference numerals indicate the same or corresponding parts.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A substantially uniform DC magnetic field in a space containing a living body having a disease city accompanied by rapid metabolism therein, and a locally steep gradient to focus the diseased portion of the living body. A therapeutic apparatus comprising magnetic field generating means for respectively generating a gradient magnetic field applied in the vicinity and forming a barrier of molecules surrounding the barrier for a predetermined period in three orthogonal directions.