Fully-Automated Theranostic System Integrating Magnetomotive Ultrasound and Magnetic Hyperthermia

Theranostic strategies are advancing personalized medicine, with particularly impactful applications in cancer treatment. Among these, magnetic hyperthermia (MH) stands out, employing high-frequency magnetic field (MF) and magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) to selectively target and heat cancerous cells. Real-time temperature monitoring and MNP localization, however, remain significant challenges in clinical translation. Previous studies have shown that magnetomotive ultrasound (MMUS) effectively addresses these challenges. Developing an automated and synchronized transition between MMUS and MH within an integrated platform is, however, challenging due to incompatible frequency requirements, with MH operating in the 0.1–1 MHz range and MMUS requiring lower frequency MF below 100 Hz. This study aimed to develop an automated platform enabling interleaved MF applications using a single excitation coil for both MH and MMUS. We propose using a high-frequency ferrite transformer to couple both generators for automated electronic switching. The platform used a multipurpose air-core inductor capable of producing MF pulses up to 205 kA/m (with currents reaching 2.16 kA) for MMUS, interleaved with MH stimulation at 170 kHz and 28 kA/m. The MH framework induced an8~∘C temperature increase in 1 cm3 ferrofluid samples at an MF strength of 15 kA/m. Preliminary phantom experiments demonstrated the system’s capability to localize MNPs noninvasively, monitor thermal variations up to1~∘C, and visualize tissue property changes during MH, showcasing promising integration of MMUS and MH.