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CHANGES IN TISSUE CLEARANCE OF RADIOACTIVE SODIUM FROM SKIN AND MUSCLE DURING HEATING WITH SHORT-WAVE DIATHERMY; A PRELIMINARY REPORT

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J. B. MILLARD · 1955

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1955 research showed short-wave diathermy altered how human tissue cleared radioactive tracers, proving RF fields affect cellular processes.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

This 1955 study examined how short-wave diathermy (a medical heating device using radiofrequency energy) affected the movement of radioactive sodium through human skin and muscle tissue. Researchers tracked changes in how quickly the body cleared this tracer substance during RF heating treatments. The research provided early evidence that electromagnetic fields could alter normal biological processes at the cellular level.

Why This Matters

This pioneering research from 1955 represents some of the earliest scientific documentation that radiofrequency energy can alter fundamental biological processes in human tissue. The fact that short-wave diathermy changed how quickly substances moved through skin and muscle demonstrates that RF fields don't just heat tissue - they can disrupt normal cellular function and circulation patterns. What makes this particularly relevant today is that short-wave diathermy operates in similar frequency ranges to many modern wireless devices, though at much higher power levels. While medical diathermy is intentionally designed to heat tissue, this study showed the fields also caused measurable changes in tissue clearance mechanisms, suggesting biological effects beyond simple heating. The science demonstrates that RF energy can influence how our cells process and transport materials, a finding that remains relevant as we evaluate the safety of our increasingly wireless world.

Figures from the Original Paper

Diagrams extracted from the original research document.

chartPage 1 - AI-described figure: Figure 2 displays the rate of clearance of Na4+ from skin during heating with short-wave diathermy for twenty minutes.
p. 1 of the original PDF
graphPage 2 - AI-described figure: A graph showing the rate of clearance of Na+ from quadriceps muscle during heating by short-wave diathermy for twenty minutes.
p. 2 of the original PDF

Exposure Information

A logarithmic frequency spectrum from 10 Hz to 100 GHz showing where this study's 27 MHz exposure sits relative to common EMF sources.Where This Frequency Sits on the EMF SpectrumELFVLFLF / MFHF / VHFUHFSHFmm10 Hz100 GHzThis study: 27 MHzPower lines50/60 HzCell phones~1 GHzWiFi2.4 GHz5G mm28 GHzLogarithmic scale

Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study. Duration: 20 minutes

Study Details

To study the circulatory changes during short-wave diathermy by measuring tissue clearance of radioactive sodium from skin and muscle.

A small quantity of Na-24 chloride (5 microcuries in 0.1 to 0.2 ml. of isotonic saline solution) was...

Under an electrode (16 subjects), skin clearance increased by approximately 150%. Midway between ele...

Short-wave diathermy causes significant changes in tissue clearance rates of radioactive sodium from both skin and muscle. Skin clearance increases significantly during heating, while muscle clearance shows more variable responses with some subjects showing increases, decreases, or no change.

Cite This Study
J. B. MILLARD (1955). CHANGES IN TISSUE CLEARANCE OF RADIOACTIVE SODIUM FROM SKIN AND MUSCLE DURING HEATING WITH SHORT-WAVE DIATHERMY; A PRELIMINARY REPORT.
Show BibTeX
@article{changes_in_tissue_clearance_of_radioactive_sodium_from_skin_and_muscle_during_he_g6723,
  author = {J. B. MILLARD},
  title = {CHANGES IN TISSUE CLEARANCE OF RADIOACTIVE SODIUM FROM SKIN AND MUSCLE DURING HEATING WITH SHORT-WAVE DIATHERMY; A PRELIMINARY REPORT},
  year = {1955},
  
  
}
No DOI on file for this study.

Quick Questions About This Study

Short-wave diathermy is a medical treatment that uses radiofrequency energy to heat deep tissues for pain relief and healing. It's commonly used in physical therapy for muscle and joint conditions requiring therapeutic heating.
Scientists injected radioactive sodium as a tracer and monitored how quickly it cleared from skin and muscle tissue during short-wave diathermy treatment, measuring changes in normal biological transport processes.
Changes in tissue clearance indicate that RF fields affect normal cellular transport mechanisms and circulation patterns, not just tissue temperature. This suggests electromagnetic fields can disrupt fundamental biological processes.
Medical short-wave diathermy typically operates at 27.12 MHz, which falls within the radiofrequency spectrum. This frequency range is also used by various industrial and communication applications today.
While modern wireless devices operate at different frequencies and much lower power levels than medical diathermy, this early research established that RF fields can alter biological processes beyond heating effects.