8,700 Studies Reviewed. 87.0% Found Biological Effects. The Evidence is Clear.
Shield Your Body
Whole Body / General

MEASURED PATTERNS OF STRAY RADIATION PRODUCED BY THERAPEUTIC MICROWAVE APPLICATORS WHEN APPLIED TO TISSUE-SUBSTITUTE MODELS AND HUMAN SUBJECTS

Bioeffects Seen

Lehmann, J. F., J. B. Stonebridge, A. M. Guy, C. C. Sorensen, G. Kantor, C. M. Witters, J. W. Greiser · 1978

Share:

Medical microwave diathermy devices leaked dangerous levels of stray radiation that failed safety standards, especially near sensitive body areas.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Researchers tested two microwave diathermy applicators used for medical heating therapy on tissue models and human subjects. They measured how much stray radiation leaked from the devices at various distances and anatomical sites. Both applicators produced dangerous levels of stray radiation that exceeded proposed safety standards, particularly near sensitive areas like eyes and reproductive organs.

Why This Matters

This 1978 study reveals a troubling pattern that persists today: medical devices using microwave radiation often leak far more energy than regulations allow. The researchers found that neither diathermy applicator met the proposed Bureau of Radiological Health standards, with dangerous levels of stray radiation reaching 5-10 mW/cm² at concerning distances from the devices. What makes this particularly relevant is that these power density levels are similar to what you might encounter from multiple wireless devices in your environment today. The study demonstrates that even purpose-built medical equipment designed with safety in mind can produce significant unintended EMF exposure. This underscores a critical point: if carefully engineered medical devices from decades ago couldn't contain their radiation properly, how confident should we be in the EMF containment of today's consumer electronics that prioritize convenience and cost over shielding?

Exposure Information

Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study.

Cite This Study
Lehmann, J. F., J. B. Stonebridge, A. M. Guy, C. C. Sorensen, G. Kantor, C. M. Witters, J. W. Greiser (1978). MEASURED PATTERNS OF STRAY RADIATION PRODUCED BY THERAPEUTIC MICROWAVE APPLICATORS WHEN APPLIED TO TISSUE-SUBSTITUTE MODELS AND HUMAN SUBJECTS.
Show BibTeX
@article{measured_patterns_of_stray_radiation_produced_by_therapeutic_microwave_applicato_g5486,
  author = {Lehmann and J. F. and J. B. Stonebridge and A. M. Guy and C. C. Sorensen and G. Kantor and C. M. Witters and J. W. Greiser},
  title = {MEASURED PATTERNS OF STRAY RADIATION PRODUCED BY THERAPEUTIC MICROWAVE APPLICATORS WHEN APPLIED TO TISSUE-SUBSTITUTE MODELS AND HUMAN SUBJECTS},
  year = {1978},
  
  
}

Quick Questions About This Study

The researchers measured stray radiation reaching 5 mW/cm² and 10 mW/cm² at various distances from the applicators. These levels exceeded proposed safety standards and posed particular risks to sensitive anatomical sites like eyes and reproductive organs.
The study specifically measured incident power density at sensitive anatomical sites including eyes and gonads (reproductive organs). These areas showed concerning exposure levels when the diathermy applicators were placed at eight different anatomical sites on human subjects.
No, neither of the two prototype diathermy applicators tested complied with the proposed Bureau of Radiological Health microwave diathermy performance standard. Both devices produced stray radiation levels that exceeded acceptable safety thresholds.
Four human subjects of varying physical size were tested, along with four different tissue-substitute models. The applicators were placed at eight anatomical sites on each human subject to measure radiation patterns comprehensively.
This study shows that even purpose-built medical devices designed for safety can leak significant microwave radiation. It demonstrates that EMF containment challenges existed decades ago in carefully engineered equipment, raising questions about radiation control in today's consumer electronics.