Patent ID: 9603544
Date: 2017-03-28
CPC Classifications: A61B,A61K,B24B,G16H

Claim:
1. A method of determining physical, chemical and/or biological state variables in an examination area of an examination object by determining a change in a spatial distribution of magnetic particles in the examination area, the method comprising the acts of: introducing into the examination area magnetic particles in a first state or in a second state wherein, in the first state, at least some of the magnetic particles that are to be examined are agglomerated and/or coupled to one another and wherein, in the second state, the particles are deagglomerated and/or decoupled; generating a magnetic field having a strength with a spatial profile such that there is produced in the examination area two part-areas including a first part-area having a low magnetic field strength and a second part-area having a higher magnetic field strength than the low magnetic field strength; changing spatial positions of the two part-areas in the examination area or changing the magnetic field strength in the first part-area to cause the change in the spatial distribution of magnetic particles so that magnetization of the particles is locally changed; detecting signals that depend on the magnetization in the examination area that is influenced by the changing act; evaluating the signals so as to obtain information about the change in the spatial distribution of the magnetic particles and about physical, chemical and/or biological state variables, wherein the physical, chemical and/or biological state variables include at least one of substance temperature, pressure, viscosity and pH; correlating the change in the spatial distribution of the magnetic particles in the examination area with at least one of a local temperature, pressure, viscosity and pH value to determine the at least one of the local substance temperature, pressure, viscosity and pH; determining the at least one of the local substance temperature, pressure, viscosity and pH; and providing an indication of the determined at least one of the local substance temperature, pressure, viscosity and pH.