Nano Implant to Monitor Cancer

Researchers at MIT are working on a tiny device that could be very useful in monitoring tumors in cancer patients. The technology is called implanted magnetic sensing. The tiny device is a silicon capsule with a porous membrane. Inside are nanoparticle sensors that are coated with an antibody. When target molecules cross through the membrane, they clump together with the nanoparticles, and then these clumps can be detected using a MRI. The researchers feel this technique could be useful in monitoring a patient's response to cancer treatments.

http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2006/cancer-chip.html