Abstract
Electroporation-based treatment combining high-voltage electric pulses and poorly permanent cytotoxic drugs, i.e., electrochemotherapy (ECT), is currently used for treating superficial tumor nodules by following standard operating procedures. Besides ECT, another electroporation-based treatment, nonthermal irreversible electroporation (N-TIRE), is also efficient at ablating deep-seated tumors. To perform ECT or N-TIRE of deep-seated tumors, following standard operating procedures is not sufficient and patient-specific treatment planning is required for successful treatment. Treatment planning is required because of the use of individual long-needle electrodes and the diverse shape, size and location of deep-seated tumors. Many institutions that already perform ECT of superficial metastases could benefit from treatment-planning software that would enable the preparation of patient-specific treatment plans. To this end, we have developed a Web-based treatment-planning software for planning electroporation-based treatments that does not require prior engineering knowledge from the user (e.g., the clinician). The software includes algorithms for automatic tissue segmentation and, after segmentation, generation of a 3D model of the tissue. The procedure allows the user to define how the electrodes will be inserted. Finally, electric field distribution is computed, the position of electrodes and the voltage to be applied are optimized using the 3D model and a downloadable treatment plan is made available to the user.
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Acknowledgement
This work was supported by the Slovenian Research Agency. Research was conducted in the scope of the Electroporation in Biology and Medicine, European Associated Laboratory. The authors thank Dr. Robert Hudej from the Institute of Oncology, Ljubljana, for providing data that were used for preparing the treatment plan for N-TIRE of prostate cancer.
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Pavliha, D., Kos, B., Marčan, M. et al. Planning of Electroporation-Based Treatments Using Web-Based Treatment-Planning Software. J Membrane Biol 246, 833–842 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00232-013-9567-2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00232-013-9567-2