Use of electromagnetic fields in cancer and other therapies

• US 7,367,988 B1
• Filed: 12/22/2004
• Issued: 05/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Catholic University of America (Catholic University)
• Original Assignee: Catholic University of America (Catholic University)
• Inventors: Litovitz, Theodore A.
• Primary Examiner(s): ROBINSON, DANIEL LEON
• Application Number:
  US11/017,803
• Time in Patent Office: 1,231 Days
• Field of Search: 607/100, 607/103, 607/96, 607/88, 600/13, 609/291, 606/32, 606/33, 606/34, 601/35
• US Class Current: 607/106
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/40 Applying electric fields by inductive or capacitive coupling microwave apparatus A61N5/00; Applying radio-frequency signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2/02 using magnetic fields produced by coils, including single turn loops or electromagnets A61N2/12 takes precedence

Abstract

Methods and apparatus are described for the treatment of diseases by exposures to electromagnetic fields. Also, apparatus is described for focusing the biological effectiveness of such fields on specific cells, tissues or organs of a human or animal body.

Claims

1. Apparatus for focusing the biological effect on cells, tissues or organs with an applied time varying EM field resulting from the superimposition of two biologically ineffective time varying fields when applied separately, the fields being generated from a primary source configuration producing a spatially time carrying EM field and from a secondary source configuration producing a spatially uniform time varying EM field of the same frequency and waveform as the primary source configuration, with the primary and secondary field amplitudes being within 25% of being equal only on the targeted cells, tissues and organs, wherein the primary source configuration comprises one or more primary coils and wherein the secondary source configuration comprises one or more secondary coils.

2. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the primary source configuration produces EM field exposures with on and off cycling with a maximum of 5 seconds time on and a maximum of 5 seconds time off, and the secondary configuration produces EM field exposures which are off when the primary exposures are on, and on when the primary exposures are off.

3. Apparatus as in claim 2 in which the times on and off are of 2 seconds duration.

4. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the time and magnitude of the exposure from each of the source configurations is no less than 2 microTesla and no greater than 2000 microTesla.

5. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the EM field magnitude corresponds to a radiative energy of at least 1.0 mW/cm squared.

7. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the maximum times are 2 seconds.

12. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the quadrupoles have partially shielded windings.

13. Apparatus as in claim 12 wherein the windings are shielded away from their axis.

14. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the field on time is 2 seconds.

6. Apparatus for focusing the biological effect on cells, tissues or organs with an applied time varying EM field resulting from the superimposition of two biologically ineffective time varying fields when applied separately, the fields being generated from a primary source configuration producing a spatially time carrying EM field and from a secondary source configuration producing a spatially uniform time varying EM field of the same frequency and waveform as the primary source configuration, with the primary and secondary field amplitudes being within 25% of being equal only on the targeted cells, tissues and organs wherein the secondary source configuration comprises 2 quadrupoles which provide maximum fields along the symmetry axis thereof, and wherein the field from one quadrupole is on for a maximum time of 5 seconds when the field from the other quadrupole is off for a maximum time of 5 seconds.

8. Apparatus as in claim 6 wherein the quadrupoles are coaxial.

9. Apparatus as in claim 6 wherein the quadrupoles have partially shielded windings.

10. Apparatus as in claim 9 wherein the shielded windings are shielded away from the axis thereof.

11. Apparatus for focusing the biological effect on cells, tissues or organs with an applied time varying EM field resulting from the superimposition of two biologically ineffective time varying fields when applied separately, the fields being generated from a primary source configuration producing a spatially time carrying EM field and from a secondary source configuration producing a spatially uniform time varying EM field of the same frequency and waveform as the primary source configuration, with the primary and secondary field amplitudes being within 25% of being equal only on the targeted cells, tissues and organs wherein the secondary source configuration is comprised of 2 quadrupoles in spatial and phase quadratures provide a maximum circularly polarized field along the symmetry axis thereof, and wherein the field is on for a maximum time of 5 seconds.