Patent ID: 8323694

Claim:
A method of treating a subject suffering from a therapeutic target, comprising providing a therapeutically effective plurality of nanoparticles to the therapeutic target in the subject and irradiating the therapeutic target with a therapeutically effective dose of infrared radiation, wherein: (a) each of the cores of the nanoparticles consisting essentially of solid gold; (b) the average effective diameter of the nanoparticles is between about 0.8 nm and 20 nm; (c) the plurality of nanoparticles has an aggregate absorptivity amplification factor of at least about 3 to about 50, relative to unaggregated nanoparticles, for infrared wavelength irradiation; and (d) the dose of infrared-wavelength radiation is sufficient to elevate a temperature within the therapeutic target to at least 42° C.