Comparison of 3 Different Systems for Non-wire Localization of Lesions in Breast Cancer Surgery.

PURPOSE: Localizing breast lesions by marking tumors and their detection using probes during surgery is a common part of clinical practice. Various nonwire localization systems were intended to be compared from different perspectives. METHODS: Various measurement experiments were performed. Localization techniques, including radioactive seed (RSLS), magnetically guided (MGLS), or radar (SLS), were compared in signal propagation in water and tissue environments, signal interference by surgical instruments, and the practical experience of surgeons. Individual experiments were thoroughly prospectively planned. RESULTS: The RSLS signal was detectable at the largest evaluated distance, ie, 60 mm. The SLS and MGLS signal detection was shorter, up to 25 mm to 45 mm and 30 mm, respectively. The signal intensity and the maximum detection distance in water differed slightly depending on the localization marker orientation to the probe, especially for SLS and MGLS. Signal propagation in the tissue was noted to a depth of 60 mm for RSLS, 50 mm for SLS, and 20 mm for MGLS. Except for the expected signal interferences by approaching surgical instruments from any direction for MGLS, the signal interruption for RSLS and SLS was observed only by inserting instruments directly between the localization marker and probe. Moreover, the SLS signal interference by instrument touch was noted. Based on surgeons' results, individual systems did not differ significantly for most measurement condition settings. CONCLUSION: Apparent differences noted among localization systems can help experts choose an appropriate system for a specific situation or reveal small nuances that have not yet been observed in clinical practice.

In vitro and Bioimaging Studies of Mesoporous Silica Nanocomposites Encapsulated Iron-oxide and Loaded Doxorubicin Drug (DOX/IO@Silica) as Magnetically Guided Drug Delivery System.

BACKGROUND: In recent years, the delivery of drugs by nanocomposites has emerged as an exciting field of research for bio-imaging tools and targeted cancer treatment. The large surface area and porous volume of mesoporous silica nanocomposites (MSN's) have gained a lot of interest for their application in the delivery of drugs and the magnetic properties of iron oxide (IO) nanocomposites play a key role in the targeted delivery system. METHODS: In this study, mesoporous silica encapsulated IO nanocomposites loaded with doxorubicin (DOX) were synthesized for the magnetically guided delivery of anticancer drugs. The synthesis of IO nanocomposites was done through the precipitation method, and then silica encapsulation and drug loading were done by the StÖber method. RESULTS: The magnetically driven delivery of the drug is produced by the encapsulation of magnetically active IO in the mesoporous silica shell. The controlled release of DOX is possible because of the MSN's. TEM images show that the nanocomposites have a spherical morphology and average diameter in the range of 120 nm. Power-XRD data confirm the crystalline nature of nanocomposites. The strong absorption peak was observed in UV-Visible spectroscopy at 490 nm and quenching in fluorescence spectra confirms the encapsulation of DOX in the mesoporous silica shell. VSM data showed the magnetic nature of nanocomposites, with large magnetic susceptibility (74.88 emu/g). The use of DOX/IO@Silica nanocomposites as a sustainable drug release and targeted drug delivery vehicle has been reported here. The pH dependent release of DOX was studied and significant release was observed at lower pH. In-vitro cell viability assay and fluorescence imaging assay have demonstrated that these nanocomposites show significant dose-dependent toxicity to cancer cells in the presence of a magnetic field. CONCLUSION: In-vitro studies via the MTT assay showed that these synthesized nanocomposites in culture are non-toxic to healthy cells compared to DOX-induced cytotoxicity due its controlled release and can be further strengthened by magnetic guidance. Therefore, due to its optical properties and potential for guided delivery of drug to the targeted site, these nanocomposites are ideal as an anticancer agent and bio-imaging prob.

Synthesizing and Optimizing Rutile TiO2 Nanoparticles for Magnetically Guided Drug Delivery.

Introduction: Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs) have shown tremendous potential in targeted drug-delivery applications. Among various mechanisms, magnetically guided transport of drugs is one such technique for the said purpose. TiO2 NPs being diamagnetic or sometimes exhibiting very weak ferromagnetism can be modified by treating them with suitable magnetic materials. Methods: Rutile TiO2 NPs were synthesized and doped with Iron Supplement FericipXT and rare-earth metals like cerium, erbium and neodymium via sol-gel technique. FericipXT-coated rutile TiO2 NPs were synthesized in three different core-shell ratios (1:3, 1:1 and 3:1). The resulting samples were characterized via X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Vibrating Sample Magnetometer (VSM) and High-Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HR-TEM). Results: XRD of FericipXT-doped TiO2 NPs showed a rutile phase for 1% and 3% doping; however, only a small fraction of the maghemite phase was obtained for 5% doping. The XRD plots of Ce-doped, Er-doped and Nd-doped TiO2 NPs showed a variety of phases of TiO2 NPs (such as anatase/rutile/mixed) along with the oxide phases of the corresponding rare-earth metal. The presence of various iron titanium oxides and iron oxides was found in core-shell NPs. HR-TEM images confirmed the formation of 1:3, 1:1 and 3:1 core-shell TiO2 NPs. VSM studies showed that the resulting NPs depicted magnetism in the form of superparamagnetism, ferromagnetism and even paramagnetism. Discussion: The doping to 3% does not affect the original phase of the resulting TiO2 NPs as depicted from the XRD; however, a doping of 5% and more resulted in extra phases corresponding to the dopant added. FericipXT was loaded over TiO2 NPs in amorphous form. Among all the samples synthesized, FericipXT-coated TiO2 NPs demonstrated the best magnetic ability. It was deduced that coating with a magnetic material drastically improves the magnetic character of the host NPs.

DAMP-modulating nanoparticle for successful pancreatic islet and stem cell transplantation.

Cell therapy is targeted at many organs, but locally or systemically delivered cells are shortly able to survive resulting from the immune/inflammation reactions and irregular cell targeting. Here we explore the multimodal nanoparticle having anti-inflammation and magnetic guidance for successful cell transplantation. We design magnetic resonance (MR)-active glycyrrhizin-chitosan coated superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticle (SPIO@Chitosan-GL) to inhibit release of inflammatory damage-associated molecular pattern (DAMP) protein and to offer noninvasive monitoring after intrahepatic transplantation of pancreatic islets and mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) spheroids. Intracellular delivered SPIO@Chitosan-GL is not cytotoxic to pancreatic islets and MSC spheroids and attenuate DAMP release from them. Also, therapeutic cells labeled with SPIO@Chitosan-GL are magnetically localized to the intended lobe of liver during transplantation procedure. If necessary, partial hepatectomy can be performed to remove the localized therapeutic cells for protection of the remaining liver lobes from systemic inflammation. Therapeutically, the cells selectively localized in the liver can treat blood glucose in diabetic mice to normal levels with DAMP modulation, and are visualized using in vivo MR imaging for over 4 weeks. Collectively, DAMP-modulating SPIO@Chitosan-GL can be used in multimodal nanomedince for attenuating the inflammation reaction by transplanted cells and for noninvasively long-term monitoring of transplanted cells.

Magnetically Guided Capsule Endoscopy and Magnetic Resonance Enterography in Children With Crohn's Disease: Manifestations and the Value of Assessing Disease Activity.

Objective: To investigate the value of magnetically guided capsule endoscopy (MGCE) and magnetic resonance enterography (MRE) in assessing the activity of pediatric Crohn's disease. Methods: Clinical data from 82 subjects with pediatric Crohn's disease, who underwent MGCE and MRE from October 2018 to March 2021 were analyzed retrospectively. Pairwise comparisons of several indexes, including MaRIA, CECDAI, PCDAI, and SES-CD, were performed by Spearman's rank correlation test and kappa consistency analysis. CECDAI and MaRIA values predicted whether patients were moderately or severely active (PCDAI ≥30) clinically by logistic regression analysis. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) quantified the evaluation value of moderate to severe activity of pediatric CD. Results: In judging the severity of CD in the small intestine, the correlation coefficient between CECDAI and MaRIA was 0.406 (p < 0.05), and the kappa value of the consistency analysis was 0.299 (p < 0.05). MaRIA was weakly correlated with PCDAI (r = 0.254, p < 0.05), and they were weakly consistent in assessing the activity of Crohn's disease (kappa = 0.135, p < 0.05). For predicting clinically moderate to severe activity, the fitted AUC based on CECDAI and MarRIA was 0.917, which was higher than applying a single parameter (CECDAI = 0.725, MarRIA = 0.899, respectively). MaRIA and serum albumin were significantly and negatively correlated (r = -1.064, p < 0.05). The consistency of the detection rate of gastric ulcers by MGCE and gastroscopy was moderate (kappa = 0.586, p < 0.05), and the detection rate of ulcers in the terminal ileum between MGCE and colonoscopy showed high consistency (kappa = 0.609, p < 0.05). Conclusions: MGCE and MRE are valuable, non-invasive methods for evaluating small bowel lesions in children with CD. The combined application of MGCE and MRE can better characterize the disease activity.

Alterations in the saliva microbiome in patients with gastritis and small bowel inflammation.

The oral microbiome is an important part of the human microbiome. Accumulating data have shown that oral microbiome alterations are closely related to multiple human diseases. However, salivary microbiota distributions remain unclear in patients with gastritis and small bowel inflammation. Magnetically guided capsule endoscopy (MGCE) is a noninvasive diagnostic tool for patients with gastritis and small bowel inflammation. Herein, we analysed the alterations in saliva microbiota in the normal, small intestinal inflammation and chronic gastritis groups through 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. We found that the abundance of Lactobacillaceae was dramatically higher in chronic gastritis group than healthy individuals (p = 0.001). The levels of Porphyromonas and Faecalibaculum in gastritis samples were increased (p = 0.028; p = 0.006), and the enrichments of Faecalibaculum and Kosakonia in small intestine inflammation samples were elevated (p < 0.001; p = 0.002) compared to those in normal individuals. Our findings clarify the saliva microbiota components and their importance of specific bacteria in gastritis and small bowel inflammation.

Endoluminal Motion Recognition of a Magnetically-Guided Capsule Endoscope Based on Capsule-Tissue Interaction Force.

A magnetically-guided capsule endoscope, embedding flexible force sensors, is designed to measure the capsule-tissue interaction force. The flexible force sensor is composed of eight force-sensitive elements surrounding the internal permanent magnet (IPM). The control of interaction force acting on the intestinal wall can reduce patient's discomfort and maintain the magnetic coupling between the external permanent magnet (EPM) and the IPM during capsule navigation. A flexible force sensor can achieve this control. In particular, by analyzing the signals of the force sensitive elements, we propose a method to recognize the status of the motion of the magnetic capsule, and provide corresponding formulas to evaluate whether the magnetic capsule follows the motion of the external driving magnet. Accuracy of the motion recognition in Ex Vivo tests reached 94% when the EPM was translated along the longitudinal axis. In addition, a method is proposed to realign the EPM and the IPM before the loss of their magnetic coupling. Its translational error, rotational error, and runtime are 7.04 ± 0.71 mm, 3.13 ± 0.47∘, and 11.4 ± 0.39 s, respectively. Finally, a control strategy is proposed to prevent the magnetic capsule endoscope from losing control during the magnetically-guided capsule colonoscopy.

Biodegradable polyelectrolyte/magnetite capsules for MR imaging and magnetic targeting of tumors.

Rationale: The tireless research for effective drug delivery approaches is prompted by poor target tissue penetration and limited selectivity against diseased cells. To overcome these issues, various nano- and micro-carriers have been developed so far, but some of them are characterized by slow degradation time, thus hampering repeated drug administrations. The aim of this study was to pursue a selective delivery of magnetic biodegradable polyelectrolyte capsules in a mouse breast cancer model, using an external magnetic field. Methods: Four different kinds of magnetic polyelectrolyte capsules were fabricated via layer-by-layer assembly of biodegradable polymers on calcium carbonate templates. Magnetite nanoparticles were embedded either into the capsules' shell (sample S) or both into the shell and the inner volume of the capsules (samples CnS, where n is the number of nanoparticle loading cycles). Samples were first characterized in terms of their relaxometric and photosedimentometric properties. In vitro magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) experiments, carried out on RAW 264.7 cells, allowed the selection of two lead samples that proceeded for the in vivo testing on a mouse breast cancer model. In the set of in vivo experiments, an external magnet was applied for 1 hour following the intravenous injection of the capsules to improve their delivery to tumor, and MRI scans were acquired at different time points post administration. Results: All samples were considered non-cytotoxic as they provided more than 76% viability of RAW 264.7 cells upon 2 h incubation. Sample S appeared to be the most efficient in terms of T2-MRI contrast, but the less sensitive to external magnet navigation, since no difference in MRI signal with and without the magnet was observed. On the other side, sample C6S was efficiently delivered to the tumor tissue, with a three-fold T2-MRI contrast enhancement upon the external magnet application. The effective magnetic targeting of C6S capsules was also confirmed by the reduction in T2-MRI contrast in spleen if compared with the untreated with magnet mice values, and the presence of dense and clustered iron aggregates in tumor histology sections even 48 h after the magnetic targeting. Conclusion: The highlighted strategy of magnetic biodegradable polyelectrolyte capsules' design allows for the development of an efficient drug delivery system, which through an MRI-guided externally controlled navigation may lead to a significant improvement of the anticancer chemotherapy performance.

Targeted Delivery of Curcumin to Polyethylene-Induced Osteolysis by Magnetically Guided Zoledronate-Anchored Poly Lactic-Co-Glycolic Acid Nanoparticles via Repressing NF-κB Signaling.

Aseptic loosening induced by periprosthetic osteolysis (PPO) is the leading complication of total joint arthroplasty (TJA) and results in patients having to receive revision surgery. However, there is still no efficient drug to prevent or even slow the pathological process. Herein, we report novel dual-targeted, curcumin-loaded Poly lactic-co-glycolic acid nanoparticles (ZSCNPs) to inhibit polyethylene-induced osteolysis. These ZSCNPs have good biocompatibility and excellent bone binding affinity. Under external magnetic field guidance, the ZSCNPs can specifically target osteolytic sites with sustained curcumin release, efficiently suppress the effect of IκB kinase, subsequently inhibit activation of the nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathway, and ultimately prevent osteoclast formation and particle-induced osteolysis. Therefore, these novel dual-targeted, drug-loaded nanoparticles could be applied as a useful strategy for targeted treatment of PPO after TJA.

Curved Structure of Si by Improving Etching Direction Controllability in Magnetically Guided Metal-Assisted Chemical Etching.

Metal-assisted chemical etching (MACE) is widely used to fabricate micro-/nano-structured Si owing to its simplicity and cost-effectiveness. The technique of magnetically guided MACE, involving MACE with a tri-layer metal catalyst, was developed to improve etching speed as well as to adjust the etching direction using an external magnetic field. However, the controllability of the etching direction diminishes with an increase in the etching dimension, owing to the corrosion of Fe due to the etching solution; this impedes the wider application of this approach for the fabrication of complex micro Si structures. In this study, we modified a tri-layer metal catalyst (Au/Fe/Au), wherein the Fe layer was encapsulated to improve direction controllability; this improved controllability was achieved by protecting Fe against the corrosion caused by the etching solution. We demonstrated curved Si microgroove arrays via magnetically guided MACE with Fe encapsulated in the tri-layer catalyst. Furthermore, the curvature in the curved Si microarrays could be modulated via an external magnetic field, indicating that direction controllability could be maintained even for the magnetically guided MACE of bulk Si. The proposed fabrication method developed for producing curved Si microgroove arrays can be applied to electronic devices and micro-electromechanical systems.

Rewiring of Microbiota Networks in Erosive Inflammation of the Stomach and Small Bowel.

The development of non-invasive, inexpensive, and effective early diagnosis tests for gastric and small-bowel lesions is an urgent requirement. The introduction of magnetically guided capsule endoscopy (MGCE) has aided examination of the small bowel for diagnoses. However, the distribution of the fecal microbiome in abnormal erosions of the stomach and small bowel remains unclear. Herein, alternations in the fecal microbiome in three groups [normal, small-bowel inflammation, and chronic gastritis (CG)] were analyzed by metagenomics and our well-developed method [individual-specific edge-network analysis (iENA)]. In addition to the dominant microbiota identified by the conventional differential analysis, iENA could recognize novel network biomarkers of microbiome communities, such as the genus Bacteroide in CG and small-bowel inflammation. Combined with differential network analysis, the network-hub microbiota within rewired microbiota networks revealed high-ranked iENA microbiota markers, which were disease specific and had particular pathogenic functions. Our findings illuminate the components of the fecal microbiome and the importance of specific bacteria in CG and small-bowel erosions, and could be employed to develop preventive and non-invasive therapeutic strategies.

Janus Magnetic-Plasmonic Nanoparticles for Magnetically Guided and Thermally Activated Cancer Therapy.

Progress of thermal tumor therapies and their translation into clinical practice are limited by insufficient nanoparticle concentration to release therapeutic heating at the tumor site after systemic administration. Herein, the use of Janus magneto-plasmonic nanoparticles, made of gold nanostars and iron oxide nanospheres, as efficient therapeutic nanoheaters whose on-site delivery can be improved by magnetic targeting, is proposed. Single and combined magneto- and photo-thermal heating properties of Janus nanoparticles render them as compelling heating elements, depending on the nanoparticle dose, magnetic lobe size, and milieu conditions. In cancer cells, a much more effective effect is observed for photothermia compared to magnetic hyperthermia, while combination of the two modalities into a magneto-photothermal treatment results in a synergistic cytotoxic effect in vitro. The high potential of the Janus nanoparticles for magnetic guiding confirms them to be excellent nanostructures for in vivo magnetically enhanced photothermal therapy, leading to efficient tumor growth inhibition.

Standing-type magnetically guided capsule endoscopy versus gastroscopy for gastric examination: multicenter blinded comparative trial.

AIM: To compare feasibility and safety after gastrointestinal checkup by standing-type magnetically controlled capsule endoscopy (SMCE) and conventional gastroscopy. METHODS: This was a prospective multicenter, blinded study that compared SMCE with gastroscopy in patients from April 2018 to July 2018. All patients first underwent SMCE and then subsequently had gastroscopy with i.v. anesthesia. We calculated the compliance rates of gastric lesion detection by SMCE using gastroscopy as the standard. Capsule retention rate, incidence of adverse events, and patient satisfaction were documented throughout the study. RESULTS: One hundred and sixty-one patients who completed SMCE and gastroscopy were included in the analysis. Positive compliance rate among SMCE and gastroscopy was 92.0% (95% CI: 80.77%-97.78%). Negative compliance rate was 95.5% (89.80%, 98.52%). Moreover, overall compliance rate was 94.41% (89.65%, 97.41%). Sixty-four pathological outcomes were identified. Of these 64 outcomes, 50 were detected by both procedures. The gastroscopy method neglected seven findings (such as five erosions, one polyp, and one ulcer). Furthermore, SMCE also overlooked seven lesions (i.e. one erosion, two polyps, one atrophy, and three submucosal tumors). Capsule retention or related adverse events were not reported. CONCLUSION: Standing-type magnetically controlled capsule endoscopy provides equivalent agreement with gastroscopy and may be useful for screening of gastric illnesses without any anesthesia.

[Feasibility and safety of magnetically guided capsule endoscopy in minors].

Objective: To clarify the feasibility and safety of magnetically guided capsule endoscopy (MGCE) in minors. Methods: A descriptive cohort study was carried out to retrospectively collect the data of minors (<18 years) who underwent MGCE in Ruijin Hospital from April 2015 to October 2018. Exclusion criteria: patients with dysphagia, obvious gastrointestinal bleeding, diagnosed or suspected gastrointestinal obstruction, or congenital gastrointestinal malformations or intestinal fistula; patients with previous bowel surgery, or in poor general condition; patients with implants; pregnant patients; patients with incomplete data or without data. A total of 218 patients, including 122 males and 96 females, with mean age of (12.0±3.1) (5-17) years and 236 times of examination were included. The capsule size of the Ankon MGCE system was 11.8 mm×27 mm, taking two pictures per second, with a viewing angle of 140 degrees. Data of gastric visualization (0% to 100%), gastric cleanliness (satisfactory cleanliness was defined as a clear display of the gastric mucosa; the effect of bubbles or mucus on the visual field was negligible, or the gastric mucosa was slightly blurred; a small amount of air bubbles or mucus affected slightly the field of view), gastric or small bowel examination time, lesion detection rate, etc. were recorded. All the patients were followed up for 2 weeks to confirm capsule excretion and to record adverse events. Results: A total of 202 patients (217 times) completed gastric examination and 112 patients (125 times) completed small bowel examination. The median gastric visualization of cardia, fundus, body, angulus, antrum and pylorus was 100%, 90% (75%,100%), 100% (80%,100%), 100%, 100%, and 100%, respectively. The cleanliness of the gastric cardia, fundus, body, angle, antrum, and pylorus was assessed to be satisfactory in 100.0%, 76.5% (153/200), 92.5% (185/200), 97.5% (195/200), 99.5% (199/200), and 100.0% of patients, respectively. In 202 patients undergoing gastric examination, the median gastric exanimation time was 10.5 (7.3, 13.9) minutes. In 112 patients undergoing small bowel examination, the median gastric transit time was 51.5 (20.6, 112.0) minutes and the median small bowel transit time was 232.4 (181.8, 321.6) minutes. The small bowel transit rate was 91.1% (102/112). The lesion detection rates of stomach, duodenum and jejunoileum were 18.8% (38/202), 8.1% (10/124) and 26.8% (30/112) respectively. No complications or adverse events occurred. Conclusion: MGCE is feasible and safe to detect both gastric cavity and small bowel in minors.

Magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles for drug delivery: applications and characteristics.

INTRODUCTION: For many years, the controlled delivery of therapeutic compounds has been a matter of great interest in the field of nanomedicine. Among the wide amount of drug nanocarriers, magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (IONs) stand out from the crowd and constitute robust nanoplatforms since they can achieve high drug loading as well as targeting abilities stemming from their remarkable properties (magnetic and biological properties). These applications require precise design of the nanoparticles regarding several parameters which must be considered together in order to attain highest therapeutic efficacy. AREAS COVERED: This short review presents recent developments in the field of cancer targeted drug delivery using magnetic nanocarriers as drug delivery systems. EXPERT OPINION: The design of nanocarriers enabling efficient delivery of therapeutic compounds toward targeted locations is one of the major area of research in the targeted drug delivery field. By precisely shaping the structural properties of the iron oxide nanoparticles, drugs loaded onto the nanoparticles can be efficiently guided and selectively delivered toward targeted locations. With these goals in mind, special attention should be given to the pharmacokinetics and in vivo behavior of the developed nanocarriers.

Preparation and characterization of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles for magnetically guided drug delivery.

Iron oxide nanoparticles have unique magnetic properties and therefore readily respond to applied magnetic fields. Moreover, their surfaces can be used to attach active molecules via various covalent or noncovalent interactions. Thus, they can be used as drug carriers for magnetically controlled delivery to specific biological sites of interest. In the present study, we have synthesized aqueous dispersed samples of citric acid-capped iron oxide nanoparticles, and the anticancer drug doxorubicin was then linked with these superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles via a simple noncovalent interaction. Our results show that the conjugated drug releases from the nanoparticles in a sustained manner. The cellular uptake of these nanoparticles was found to be substantial, although it can be further enhanced using magnetic guidance. These nanoparticles (drug free) were found to be nontoxic to cells; however, upon drug conjugation, drug-induced toxicity was observed, owing to the slow release of drug from the nanoparticles.

Size-tunable drug-delivery capsules composed of a magnetic nanoshell.

Nano-sized FePt capsules with two types of ultrathin shell were fabricated using a template method for use in a nano-scale drug delivery system. One capsule was composed of an inorganic-organic hybrid shell of a water-soluble polymer and FePt nanoparticles, and the other capsule was composed of a network of fused FePt nanoparticles. We demonstrated that FePt nanoparticles selectively accumulated on the polymer molecules adsorbed on the template silica particles, and investigated the morphologies of the particle accumulation by changing the concentration of the polymer solution with which the template particles were treated. Capsular size was reduced from 340 to less than 90 nm by changing the size of the silica template particles, and the shell thickness was controlled by changing the amount of FePt nanoparticles adsorbed on the template particles. The hybrid shell was maintained by the connection of FePt nanoparticles and polymer molecules, and the shell thickness was 10 nm at the maximum. The FePt network shell was fabricated by hydrothermal treatment of the FePt/polymer-modified silica composite particles. The FePt network shell was produced from only the FePt alloy, and the shell thickness was 3 nm. Water-soluble anti-cancer drugs could be loaded into the hollow space of FePt network capsules, and lipid-coated FePt network capsules loaded with anti-cancer drugs showed cellular toxicity. The nano-sized capsular structure and the ultrathin shell suggest applicability as a drug carrier in magnetically guided drug delivery systems.