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Brain & Nervous System

Absence of radiofrequency heating from auditory implants during magnetic resonance imaging.

No Effects Found

Chou CK, McDougall JA, Can KW · 1995

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Auditory implants showed no heating during MRI scans at 64 MHz, suggesting these medical devices are safe during magnetic resonance imaging.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Researchers tested whether auditory implants (devices that help deaf people hear) would cause dangerous heating during MRI scans by using a realistic human phantom head and measuring temperatures with thermal imaging and fiber-optic probes. They found no observable heating around the implants during a 26-minute MRI scan designed to produce maximum radiofrequency exposure. This finding is important for patient safety, as it suggests people with these hearing implants can safely undergo MRI scans without risk of tissue damage from overheating.

Exposure Information

A logarithmic frequency spectrum from 10 Hz to 100 GHz showing where this study's 64 MHz exposure sits relative to common EMF sources.Where This Frequency Sits on the EMF SpectrumELFVLFLF / MFHF / VHFUHFSHFmm10 Hz100 GHzThis study: 64 MHzPower lines50/60 HzCell phones~1 GHzWiFi2.4 GHz5G mm28 GHzLogarithmic scale

The study examined exposure from: 64 MHz

Study Details

The possibility of tissue heating due to an auditory brainstem implant (ABI) or a modified cochlear implant (CI) during magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the head was tested on a full-sized human phantom using a realistic phantom head consisting of simulated skull, brain, and muscle.

Dielectric properties of the brain, muscle, and bone materials were similar to those of human tissue...

Results showed no observable heating associated with the ABI and the modified CI during worst-case M...

Cite This Study
Chou CK, McDougall JA, Can KW (1995). Absence of radiofrequency heating from auditory implants during magnetic resonance imaging. Bioelectromagnetics 16(5):307-316, 1995.
Show BibTeX
@article{ck_1995_absence_of_radiofrequency_heating_2977,
  author = {Chou CK and McDougall JA and Can KW},
  title = {Absence of radiofrequency heating from auditory implants during magnetic resonance imaging.},
  year = {1995},
  
  url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8554632/},
}
PubMed: 8554632

Cited By (62 papers)

View all 62 citing papers on Semantic Scholar

Quick Questions About This Study

Research shows cochlear implants don't cause dangerous overheating during MRI scans. A 1995 study using thermal imaging found no observable heating around auditory implants during a 26-minute MRI designed to produce maximum radiofrequency exposure, suggesting these devices are safe during imaging.
MRI radiofrequency radiation doesn't appear harmful to people with hearing implants. Scientists tested auditory implants in a realistic head phantom during MRI scanning and found no tissue heating that could cause damage, indicating MRI procedures are safe for implant users.
MRI scans don't cause problematic heating in auditory brain implants. Researchers measured temperatures around cochlear and brainstem implants during worst-case MRI exposure using fiber-optic probes and thermal imaging, finding no heating that would pose safety risks to patients.
Heating risks from MRI appear minimal for people with auditory implants. A safety study found no observable temperature increases around cochlear and brainstem implants during extended MRI scanning, suggesting patients can undergo these procedures without significant heating concerns.
The 64 MHz radiofrequency used in MRI doesn't cause heating problems in auditory implants. Testing showed no temperature increases around these devices during maximum MRI exposure, indicating this frequency doesn't create dangerous interactions with hearing implant materials or electronics.