Hyperthermia involves exposing body tissue to high temperatures (up to 113F) to destroy cancer cells. Common methods to deliver heat include the heating of probes or needles using external microwave, radiofrequency (RF) wave or ultrasound sources. The objective of this work is to develop a metallic probe or needle that is comprised of two sections ? a tip section to be inserted in a tumor, that subsequently heats up due to induced Eddy currents when exposed to a fluctuating RF magnetic field (as in those used in current Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) systems); and a body section away from the tip with reduced heating to minimize damage to the normal surrounding tissue. Such a metallic probe offers superior maneuverability for placement in a tumor (due to the higher stiffness of metals) while offering real time imaging during treatment (since the energy source is an MRI system). While tip heating in MRI systems is well known and has been actively researched, the emphasis here was to reduce interaction of the body of the probe with the fluctuating RF magnetic field in the MRI system thereby reducing heating. This was accomplished by laser assisted diffusion of Ag, Au and Pt in to MP35N wires. The performance of these laser treated MP35N wires were evaluated in a RF magnetic field and are reported here. The results are presented along with predictions from a model developed as part of this work to capture the physics of the heating (or lack thereof) of the laser treated wire body in the fluctuating RF magnetic field of the MRI system
