Abstract:
The ferromagnetic implant (thermoseeds) technique offers desirable features for interstitial
thermotherapy. However, its efficacy has been reported to be limited by issues that are related to the
properties of the metal alloys that are used to fabricate them and the high number of thermoseeds
needed to achieve therapeutic temperature levels. Here, we present the results of a combination of
experimental and computational analysis of plasmonic nanocomposite implants (photoseeds)—a
combination of Au nanoparticles (NPs) and poly-dimethylsiloxane (PDMS)—as a model material.
We performed structural and optical characterization of the Au NPs and repared Au-PDMS nanocomposites,
followed by an elucidation of the heat generation capabilities of the Au-PDMS photoseeds
in aqueous solution and in-vitro cancer cell suspension. Based on the experimental results, we
developed a three-dimensional (3D) finite element method (FEM) model to predict in-vivo thermal
damage profiles in breast tissue. The optical absorbance of the Au-PDMS photoseeds were increasing
with the concentration of Au NPs. The photothermal measurements and the in-vivo predictions
showed that the photothermal properties of the photoseeds, characteristics of the laser sources,
and the duration of heating can be tuned to achieve therapeutic temperature levels under in-vitro
and in-vivo conditions. Collectively, the results demonstrate the feasibility of using photoseeds for
interstitial thermotherapy.
