US Patent 7367934 - Enhancement of tumor treatment using metal nanoparticles

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7367934.html

This patent from a company called Nanoprobes teaches using metal nanoparticles to enhance x-rays for treating tumors. Claim 1 reads:

1. A method for enhancing the effects of radiation directed to a tissue or a population of cells in an animal, comprising

administering an amount of metal nanoparticles to said animal to achieve a concentration in said tissue or said population of cells of the animal of at least about 0.1% metal by weight; and

subsequently irradiating the animal with radiation directed to said tissue or said population of cells, wherein said radiation is in the form of x-rays of about 1 keV to about 25,000 keV.