title: Magnetostimulation in MRI.
abstract: In national and international bodies, there is active discussion of appropriate safety regulations of levels of magnetic field strength in MRI. Present limits are usually expressed in terms of the switching rate dB/dt, but the validity of this is open to debate. Application of the fundamental law of electrostimulation is well-established, both on theoretical and experimental grounds. Application of this law, in combination with Maxwell's law, yields a very simple equation that we call the fundamental law of magnetostimulation. This law has the hyperbolic form of a strength-duration curve and allows an estimation of the lowest possible value of the magnetic flux density capable of stimulating nerves and muscles. Calculations prove that the threshold for heart excitation is much higher than those for nerve and muscle stimulations. Experimental results from us and other authors confirm the correctness of the derived laws for magnetostimulation. In light of these findings, proposed safety limits should be reconsidered.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Engineering, Justus-Liebig-University, Giessen, Germany.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Irnich
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Schmitt
mesh_terms: D004558:Electric Stimulation; D004574:Electromagnetic Fields; D006321:Heart / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008280:Magnetics; D008433:Mathematics; D009132:Muscles / Q000502:physiology; D010525:Peripheral Nerves / Q000502:physiology