Arrays for Delivering Tumor Treating Fields (TTFields) with Individually Accessible Electrode Elements and Temperature Sensors

An apparatus for applying an alternating electric field to a subject's body using a plurality of electrode elements, wherein each of the plurality of electrode elements is disposed in thermal contact with a respective thermistor, the apparatus comprising:

• an AC signal generator that generates an AC output signal;
• a connector that includes a plurality of pins, wherein each of the pins corresponds to a respective one of the plurality of electrode elements;
• a first plurality of switches, wherein each of the first plurality of switches is configured to selectively either apply or not apply the AC output signal to a respective one of the pins;
• an amplifier configured to accept an electrical signal from each of the thermistors and generate a corresponding output, wherein the electrical signals from the thermistors arrive via the same pins that correspond to the plurality of electrode elements;
• and
• a controller configured to, based on the output of the amplifier, control the first plurality of switches so as to individually adjust the duty cycle of the AC signal that is applied to each of the plurality of pins.

A method of applying an alternating electric field to a subject's body using a plurality of electrode elements, wherein each of the plurality of electrode elements is disposed in thermal contact with a respective thermistor, the method comprising:

• applying an AC signal to each of the electrode elements at a respective duty cycle so that an alternating electric field is induced within the subject;
• inputting a signal from each of the thermistors;
• determining, based on the inputted signals, a temperature of each of the electrode elements;
• and
• adjusting the duty cycle of the AC signals that are applied to the electrode elements based on the determined temperatures, wherein after the adjusting, the duty cycle of the AC signal that is applied to at least one of the electrode elements differs from the duty cycle of the AC signal that is applied to another one of the electrode elements.