Magnetic needle biopsy

摘要

An apparatus and method for performing biopsies in-vivo using magnetically labeled nanoparticles is disclosed. One embodiment of the apparatus is called a magnetic needle. When used in a biopsy, one embodiment of the present invention collects diseased cells in-vivo which have been tagged with magnetic nanoparticles coated with receptors for specific diseased cells.

主权项

1. An apparatus for facilitating removal of a substance from an assay environment containing the substance and other constituents, wherein the substance is susceptible to magnetic attraction preferential to at least some of the other constituents, comprising: a housing; a plurality of magnets mounted with the housing such that the magnets are separated from each other, wherein the housing is configured to be inserted into and removed from the assay environment, and wherein the magnetic fields produced by the magnets when the housing is in the assay environment exert sufficient force on the substance that at least some of the substance is removed from the assay environment when the housing is removed from the assay environment; and a sheath removably mounted with the housing such that constituents of the assay environment are prevent by the sheath from physically contacting the housing or the magnets when the apparatus is placed into the assay environment.