Magnetically targeted drug delivery (MTD) systems are used in the treatment of various diseases. However, few studies on the targeting of micro-/nano-sized magnetic particles (MPs) inside multi-bifurcations vessel with fluid… Click to show full abstract
Magnetically targeted drug delivery (MTD) systems are used in the treatment of various diseases. However, few studies on the targeting of micro-/nano-sized magnetic particles (MPs) inside multi-bifurcations vessel with fluid flow have appeared. Here, we present a user-interface offline programming guidance (OLPG) scheme that controls MPs within a multi-channel dynamic vascular model. The OLPG scheme can simplify the guidance complexity for MTD and overcome the difficulties in real-time sensing of magnetic nanoparticles (MPs). Calibration between real and virtual environments minimizes OLPG errors due to the aggregation properties of the MPs. A Swarm of Aggregated MPs (SAMPs) can be defined experimentally as the equivalent diameter of a single MP. The joystick position is linearly related to the MP magnetic forces of a real electromagnetic actuator. SAMPs were controlled inside the MTD simulator using the joystick and their control commands can be downloaded to the real controller of the in vitro multi-channel vessel model. We performed both simulations and in vitro studies in the multi-channel vascular model. A user guided MPs to the desired locations in ∼50% of simulations and ∼49.5% of in vitro studies, in the absence of visual feedback. Also, a realistic 3D blood vessel model was simulated to evaluate the feasibility of the OLPG scheme. Our system has a potential to guide in vivo drug delivery.
               
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