[Simulation model of tumor-treating fields]

Sheng Wu Yi Xue Gong Cheng Xue Za Zhi. 2024 Apr 25;41(2):360-367. doi: 10.7507/1001-5515.202306074.
[Article in Chinese]

Abstract

Tumor-treating fields (TTFields) is a novel treatment modality for malignant solid tumors, often employing electric field simulations to analyze the distribution of electric fields on the tumor under different parameters of TTFields. Due to the present difficulties and high costs associated with reproducing or implementing the simulation model construction techniques, this study used readily available open-source software tools to construct a highly accurate, easily implementable finite element simulation model for TTFields. The accuracy of the model is at a level of 1 mm 3. Using this simulation model, the study carried out analyses of different factors, such as tissue electrical parameters and electrode configurations. The results show that factors influncing the distribution of the internal electric field of the tumor include changes in scalp and skull conductivity (with a maximum variation of 21.0% in the treatment field of the tumor), changes in tumor conductivity (with a maximum variation of 157.8% in the treatment field of the tumor), and different electrode positions and combinations (with a maximum variation of 74.2% in the treatment field of the tumor). In summary, the results of this study validate the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed modeling method, which can provide an important reference for future simulation analyses of TTFields and clinical applications.

肿瘤电场治疗是一种新的治疗恶性实体肿瘤的疗法,多采用电场仿真分析不同参数的肿瘤电场治疗在瘤体上产生的电场分布。但目前,由于仿真模型构建技术路线较难复现或实现成本较高,因此本研究采用常用的软件工具建立了易实现的高精度肿瘤电场治疗有限元仿真模型,模型精度在1 mm 3水平。本研究利用该仿真模型开展了不同组织电学参数、电极配置等因素分析,研究结果显示,对肿瘤内电场分布存在影响的因素包括:头皮、头骨电导率的变化(瘤体治疗场最高变化21.0%)、肿瘤电导率的变化(瘤体治疗场最高变化157.8%)和不同的电极位置及组合(瘤体治疗场最高变化74.2%)。综上,本文研究结果验证了所提建模方法的可行性与有效性,或可为今后的肿瘤电场治疗仿真分析和临床应用提供重要参考。.

Keywords: Finite element; Glioblastoma; Simulation model; Tumor-treating fields.

Publication types

  • English Abstract

MeSH terms

  • Computer Simulation*
  • Electric Conductivity
  • Electrodes
  • Finite Element Analysis*
  • Humans
  • Neoplasms* / radiotherapy
  • Neoplasms* / therapy
  • Scalp
  • Skull
  • Software

Grants and funding

科技创新2030-重大项目(2021ZD0200401);中央高校基本科研业务费专项资金资助(226-2023-00091)