Patent ID: 7146210

Claim:
A method for optimizing the selective destruction of dividing cells in a malcontrolled cell growth using a device that subjects the cell growth to an alternating electric field, wherein passage of the electric field through the dividing cells in late anaphase or telophase transforms the electric field into a non-homogeneous electric field that produces an increased density electric field in a region of the dividing cells to induce a structural change in the dividing cell resulting in destruction thereof, the optimization method comprising the steps of: computing an optimal field map of the positions of electrodes relative to the malcontrolled cell growth in a target area; arranging the electrodes according to a select pattern relative to the malcontrolled cell growth and computing a vector sum of electric fields to generate an electric field map; comparing the electric field map to the optimal field map; changing one of a delivered voltage to the electrodes and a location of the electrodes and computing a vector sum of electric fields to generate an electric field map for the electrodes; and optimizing a correlation between the generated electric field map and the optimal field map, wherein the step of optimizing a correlation takes into account an electrode voltage, a wave shape and a position of each electrode, and wherein the electric field is computed in accordance with the expression: E = V r ⁢ ⁢ ln ⁡ ( R 2 R 1 ) ⁢ ɛ coat ɛ tissue where R 1 is the radius of a conductive part of the electrode; R 2 is the electrode radius including a coating disposed on the electrode; and ε coat and ε tissue are the dielectric constants of the electrode coating and tissue, respectively and r is the distance between the electrodes to the point where one wants to calculate the electric field.