The present invention provides an implant comprising an isotope capable of producing a dose of ionizing radiation upon exposure to a flux of low energy neutrons, and a method in which, after implantation, the implant is exposed to a flux of low energy neutrons to control or treat infections.

Systems and methods including a material that emits high energy beta particles to destroy cancer cells contained in cancerous tumor or tissue. Electronic neutron generators produce neutrons with energies that have a high probability to interact with the material yttrium-89 to produce yttrium-90. Yttrium-90 emits beta radiation with a maximum energy of about 2.25 MeV and a half-life of about 64 hours, which decays to stable zirconium. Stable yttrium-89 can be directly placed in or around cancerous tissue and irradiated with neutrons in the 0.1-15 KeV energy range to produce significant amounts of yttrium-90. The beta radiation emitted by yttrium-90 will primarily destroy the more radiation sensitive cancer cells within the range of the beta particles. The resulting zirconium isotope is not radioactive such that no further radiation is released. A low probability gamma is also created that will assist in cancer cell destruction.

According to an aspect, a magnesium fluoride sintered compact includes a disc-shaped magnesium fluoride sintered compact having a through hole passing through a center axis of the disc-shaped magnesium fluoride sintered compact. The magnesium fluoride sintered compact has a relative density of 95% or higher.

Alkylphosphocholine analogs incorporating a chelating moiety that is chelated to gadolinium are disclosed herein. The alkylphophocholine analogs are compounds having the formula:

##STR00001##

or a salt thereof. R.sub.1 includes a chelating agent that is chelated to a gadolinium atom; a is 0 or 1; n is an integer from 12 to 30; m is 0 or 1; Y is H, OH, COOH, COOX, OCOX, or OX, wherein X is an alkyl or an arylalkyl; R.sub.2 is N.sup.+H.sub.3, N.sup.+H.sub.2Z, N.sup.+HZ.sub.2, or N.sup.+Z.sub.3, wherein each Z is independently an alkyl or an aroalkyl; and b is 1 or 2. The compounds can be used to detect solid tumors or to treat solid tumors. In detection/imaging applications, the gadolinium emits signals that are detectable using magnetic resonance imaging. In therapeutic treatment, the gadolinium emits tumor-targeting charged particles when exposed to epithermal neutrons.

Alkylphosphocholine analogs incorporating a chelating moiety that is chelated to gadolinium are disclosed herein. The alkylphophocholine analogs are compounds having the formula: ##STR00001##
or a salt thereof. R.sub.1 includes a chelating agent that is chelated to a gadolinium atom; a is 0 or 1; n is an integer from 12 to 30; m is 0 or 1; Y is H, OH, COOH, COOX, OCOX, or OX, wherein X is an alkyl or an arylalkyl; R.sub.2 is N.sup.+H.sub.3, N.sup.+H.sub.2Z, N.sup.+HZ.sub.2, or N.sup.+Z.sub.3, wherein each Z is independently an alkyl or an aroalkyl; and b is 1 or 2. The compounds can be used to detect solid tumors or to treat solid tumors. In detection/imaging applications, the gadolinium emits signals that are detectable using magnetic resonance imaging. In therapeutic treatment, the gadolinium emits tumor-targeting charged particles when exposed to epithermal neutrons.

A process for treating highly localized carcinoma cells that provides precise positioning of a therapeutic source of highly ionizing but weakly penetrating radiation, which can be shaped so that it irradiates essentially only the volume of the tumor. The intensity and duration of the radiation produced by the source can be activated and deactivated by controlling the neutron flux generated by an array of electrically controlled neutron generators positioned outside the body being treated. The energy of the neutrons that interact with the source element can be adjusted to optimize the reaction rate of the ionized radiation production by utilizing neutron moderating material between the neutron generator array and the body. The source device may be left in place and reactivated as needed to ensure the tumor is eradicated without exposing the patient to any additional radiation between treatments. The source device may be removed once treatment is completed.

The invention relates to the treatment of cancer. In particular the invention relates to an internal therapeutic product comprising: (i) an anti-cancer component selected from one or both of: a radionucleotide, a cytotoxic drug; and (ii) a silicon component selected from one or more of: resorbable silicon, biocompatible silicon, bioactive silicon, porous silicon, polycrystalline silicon, amorphous silicon, and bulk crystalline silicon, the internal therapeutic product being for the treatment of cancer.

According to an aspect, a magnesium fluoride sintered compact includes a disc-shaped magnesium fluoride sintered compact having a through hole passing through a center axis of the disc-shaped magnesium fluoride sintered compact. The magnesium fluoride sintered compact has a relative density of 95% or higher.

Alkylphosphocholine analogs incorporating a chelating moiety that is chelated to gadolinium are disclosed herein. The alkylphophocholine analogs are compounds having the formula:

##STR00001##

or a salt thereof. R.sub.1 includes a chelating agent that is chelated to a gadolinium atom; a is 0 or 1; n is an integer from 12 to 30; m is 0 or 1; Y is H, OH, COOH, COOX, OCOX, or OX, wherein X is an alkyl or an arylalkyl; R.sub.2 is N.sup.+H.sub.3, N.sup.+H.sub.2Z, N.sup.+HZ.sub.2, or N.sup.+Z.sub.3, wherein each Z is independently an alkyl or an aroalkyl; and b is 1 or 2. The compounds can be used to detect solid tumors or to treat solid tumors. In detection/imaging applications, the gadolinium emits signals that are detectable using magnetic resonance imaging. In therapeutic treatment, the gadolinium emits tumor-targeting charged particles when exposed to epithermal neutrons.

The present invention provides an implant comprising an isotope capable of producing a dose of ionizing radiation upon exposure to a flux of low energy neutrons, and a method in which, after implantation, the implant is exposed to a flux of low energy neutrons to control or treat infections.