Patent ID: 7981928

Claim:
A method for preferential destruction of tumor cells in a subject, the method comprising the steps of: (a) administering rose bengal to the subject such that the rose bengal accumulates in lysosomes of cells of the subject; and then (b) irradiating a specific location of the subject comprising a tumor with an x-ray tube that emits monochromatic line emission x-rays having an energy above and near the K-absorption edge or the L-absorption edge of iodine that is present in the rose bengal so as to cause emission of Auger electrons from the rose bengal accumulated in the lysosomes of irradiated cells, wherein the emission of Auger electrons is in a dose effective to cause disruption of the lysosomes with release of hydrolytic enzymes in the lysosomes and death of said irradiated cells in the specific location, said dose being at least 10 6 Gy within a distance of up to 10 Angstroms from the iodine in the rose bengal, said irradiating being confined to the specific location comprising the tumor so as to localize damage caused by the irradiating and to minimize damage to normal cells of the subject.