Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatuses are described for managing temperatures induces my alternating electric fields by selectively activating/deactivating electrodes of a pair of transducer arrays according to defined parameters.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatuses are described for fast approximation of electric field distribution.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatuses are described for interacting with images, segmenting the images, and determining one or more regions of interest within the images.

Abstract: When electrodes are used to impose an electric field in target tissue within an anatomic volume (e.g., to apply TTFields to treat a tumor), the position of the electrodes can be optimized by generating a 3D map of electrical conductivity or resistivity of the anatomic volume. A location of the target tissue within the anatomic volume is identified, and a dipole is added to the 3D map at a location that corresponds to the target tissue. positions for the electrodes that maximize a potential attributable to the dipole are determined based on the 3D map of electrical conductivity or resistivity and the location of the dipole.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatuses are described for optimizing placement of transducer arrays on a patient.

Abstract: When electrodes are used to impose an electric field in target tissue within an anatomic volume (e.g., to apply TTFields to treat a tumor), the position of the electrodes can be optimized by obtaining electrical conductivity measurements in an anatomic volume and generating a 3D map of the conductivity directly from the obtained electrical conductivity or resistivity measurements, without segmenting the anatomic volume into tissue types. A location of the target tissue is identified within the anatomic volume, and the positions for the electrodes are determined based on the 3D map of electrical conductivity and the position of the target tissue.

Abstract: Tumor Treating Fields (TTFields) can be used to treat tumors (and/or prevent metastases) in or near a person's neck by affixing a first transducer array (i.e., a set of electrode elements) to the person's head and affixing a second transducer array to the person's chest. Subsequently, an AC voltage at a desired frequency (e.g., 100-300 kHz) is applied between the first transducer array and the second transducer array. This induces an electric field that is strong enough to be effective (e.g., greater than 1 V/cm) in most of the person's neck. In some embodiments, the center of the first transducer array is positioned on the vertex of the head or on an upper surface of the person's head. In some embodiments, the second set of electrode elements is positioned immediately below the base of the neck.

Abstract: Tumors inside a person's head (e.g., brain tumors) can be treated using tumor treating fields (TTFields) by positioning capacitively coupled electrodes on opposite sides of the tumor, and applying an AC voltage between the electrodes. Unlike the conventional approach (in which all of the electrodes are positioned on the person's scalp) at least one of the electrodes is implemented using an implanted apparatus. The implanted apparatus includes a rigid substrate shaped and dimensioned to replace a section of the person's skull. At least one electrically conductive plate is affixed to the inner side of the rigid substrate, and a dielectric layer is disposed on the inner side of the conductive plate or plates. An electrically conductive lead is used to apply an AC voltage to the conductive plate or plates.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatuses are described for managing placement of transducer arrays on a subject/patient.

Abstract: Tumor treating fields (TTFields) can be delivered by implanting a plurality of sets of implantable electrode elements within a person's body. Temperature sensors positioned to measure the temperature at the electrode elements are also implanted, along with a circuit that collects temperature measurements from the temperature sensors. In some embodiments, an AC voltage generator configured to apply an AC voltage across the plurality of sets of electrode elements is also implanted within the person's body.

Abstract: Cancer treatment using TTFields (Tumor Treating Fields) can be customized to each individual subject by obtaining cancer cells from the subject, determining an electrical characteristic (e.g., dielectrophoretic forces, cell membrane capacitance, etc.) of the cancer cells, determining a frequency for the TTFields based on the determined electrical characteristic, and treating the cancer by applying TTFields to the subject at the determined frequency. In addition, cancer treatment can be planned for each individual subject by obtaining cancer cells from the subject, determining an electrical characteristic of the cancer cells, predicting whether TTFields would be effective to treat the cancer based on the determined electrical characteristic, and treating the subject by applying TTFields if the prediction indicates that TTFields would be effective.

Abstract: To plan tumor treating fields (TTFields) therapy, a model of a patient's head is often used to determine where to position the transducer arrays during treatment, and the accuracy of this model depends in large part on an accurate segmentation of MRI images. The quality of a segmentation can be improved by presenting the segmentation to a previously-trained machine learning system. The machine learning system generates a quality score for the segmentation. Revisions to the segmentation are accepted, and the machine learning system scores the revised segmentation. The quality scores are used to determine which segmentation provides better results, optionally by running simulations for models that correspond to each segmentation for a plurality of different transducer array layouts.

Abstract: A 3D model of AC electrical conductivity of the head (or other body part) can be generated by obtaining both CT and MRI images of the head, and combining the CT and MRI images into a composite model that specifies a conductivity at each voxel of the composite model. Voxels in the composite model that correspond to bone (e.g., the skull) are derived from the CT image, and voxels that correspond to the brain (e.g., white matter, gray matter, etc.) are derived from the MRI image. In some embodiments, the 3D model of conductivity is used to determine the positions for the electrodes in TTFields (Tumor Treating Fields) treatment.

Abstract: This application discloses an improved approach for delivering alternating electric fields (e.g., TTFields) at a therapeutically effective strength to a target region of the spinal anatomy. In some embodiments, first and second sets of electrode elements are positioned with their centroids adjacent to upper and lower portions of the person's spine, respectively. In other embodiments, a first set of electrode elements is positioned with its centroid on an upper surface of the person's head, and a second set of electrode elements is positioned with its centroid adjacent to the person's spine (e.g., below the L3 vertebrae). Applying an AC voltage between the first and second sets of electrode elements generates a generally vertical field in the target region at levels that are not achievable using other layouts for positioning the electrode elements on the subject's body. These configurations are particularly useful for preventing and/or treating metastases.

Abstract: This application discloses configurations for arranging transducer arrays on a person's head to impose tumor treating fields (TTFields) in the brain at field strengths that are as uniform as possible throughout the entire brain. In some embodiments, L-shaped sets of electrodes are positioned near the right and left ears, each with a horizontal arm above the ear and a vertical arm behind the ear. Optionally, these embodiments may be combined with a second pair of electrodes positioned on top of the head and behind the neck. In other embodiments, one pair of electrodes is positioned above the right ear and on the left/rear portion of the neck; and a second pair of electrodes is positioned above the left ear and on the right/rear portion of the neck. These configurations improve the uniformity of the electric fields imposed throughout the brain, and are particularly useful for preventing and/or treating metastases.

Abstract: This application discloses configurations for arranging transducer arrays on a person's head to impose tumor treating fields (TTFields) in the brain at field strengths that are as uniform as possible throughout the entire brain. In some embodiments, L-shaped sets of electrodes are positioned near the right and left ears, each with a horizontal arm above the ear and a vertical arm behind the ear. Optionally, these embodiments may be combined with a second pair of electrodes positioned on top of the head and behind the neck. In other embodiments, one pair of electrodes is positioned above the right ear and on the left/rear portion of the neck; and a second pair of electrodes is positioned above the left ear and on the right/rear portion of the neck. These configurations improve the uniformity of the electric fields imposed throughout the brain, and are particularly useful for preventing and/or treating metastases.

Abstract: This application discloses an improved approach for delivering Tumor Treating Fields (TTFields) at a therapeutically effective strength to the infratentorial regions of the brain. A first set of electrode elements is positioned on top of the head and a second set of electrode elements is positioned on the back of the neck. Third and fourth sets of electrode elements are positioned on the lower back right and the lower back left portions of the scalp, respectively. Applying an AC voltage between the first and second sets of electrode elements generates a generally vertical field in the infratentorial regions of the brain; and applying an AC voltage between the third and fourth sets of electrode elements generates a generally horizontal field in those regions.

Abstract: The planning of treatment using tumor treating fields (TTFields) in a portion of a subject's body (e.g., the subject's head) can be improved by obtaining an image of the body portion, and generating, based on the image, a 3D model of electrical conductivity. A target volume within the 3D model is identified, and a set of model electrodes is added to the 3D model at given locations. Then, for each voxel in the target volume, the power loss density (PLD) that will be present when TTFields are eventually applied is determined. The same process is repeated for a plurality of different electrode locations. Finally, the set of electrode locations that yielded the best PLD is selected, and a description of those locations is output.

Abstract: Tumors in portions of a subject's body that have a longitudinal axis (e.g., the torso, head, and arm) can be treated with TTFields by affixing first and second sets of electrodes at respective positions that are longitudinally prior to and subsequent to a target region. An AC voltage with a frequency of 100-500 kHz is applied between these sets of electrodes. This imposes an AC electric field with field lines that run through the target region longitudinally. The field strength is at least 1 V/cm in at least a portion of the target region. In some embodiments, this approach is combined with the application of AC electric fields through the target region in a lateral direction (e.g., front to back and/or side to side) in order to apply AC electric fields with different orientations to the target region.

Abstract: Tumors in portions of a subject's body that have a longitudinal axis (e.g., the torso, head, and arm) can be treated with TTFields by affixing first and second sets of electrodes at respective positions that are longitudinally prior to and subsequent to a target region. An AC voltage with a frequency of 100-500 kHz is applied between these sets of electrodes. This imposes an AC electric field with field lines that run through the target region longitudinally. The field strength is at least 1 V/cm in at least a portion of the target region. In some embodiments, this approach is combined with the application of AC electric fields through the target region in a lateral direction (e.g., front to back and/or side to side) in order to apply AC electric fields with different orientations to the target region.