A wireless power transfer route to magnetically mediated hyperthermia

Hyperthermia therapy is a promising method of cancer treatment, where cancer cells are killed via moderate heat exposure. Magnetically mediated hyperthermia (MMH) is based on the heating of particles or implants, by an externally applied alternating magnetic field. Some MMH systems use induced eddy currents as heat sources. Their operation is very similar to that of wireless power transfer (WPT) systems. Hence, optimization techniques aimed at maximizing the power transfer efficiency of WPT systems can be adapted to optimize heating efficiency in MMH. This paper provides the theoretical framework of this new route to designing MMH systems and analytical results for their optimal heating efficiency. Full-wave electromagnetic simulations further demonstrate the viability of the proposed MMH approach.