Behavior of superparamagnetic iron oxides in magnetic targeting models

Abstract

In order to improve the specificity of chemotherapeutic drugs towards pathological tissue, we investigated minimally invasive delivery methods by simulation of a magnetic targeting system. This system aims at the concentration of superparamagnetic nanoparticles at a tumor site in the body under the influence of external magnetic forces after injection of the particles into the circulatory system. Therefore, the properties of differently synthesized superparamagnetic iron oxides (SPIOs) were analyzed and implemented in a simulation model. FEM simulations were performed using the Navier-Stokes equation of fluid motion, which describes the hydrodynamic forces that act on the SPIOs in blood flow, with an additional magnetic term caused by the interaction between the SPIOs and the external magnetic field. As a result, we could show the feasibility of magnetic targeting by combining the optimization of both the magnetic fields and the SPIOs’ properties.