Safe exposure distances for transcranial magnetic stimulation based on computer simulations

Iam Palatnik de Sousa; Carlos R H Barbosa; Elisabeth Costa Monteiro

doi:10.7717/peerj.5034

Safe exposure distances for transcranial magnetic stimulation based on computer simulations

PeerJ. 2018 Jun 18:6:e5034. doi: 10.7717/peerj.5034. eCollection 2018.

Authors

Iam Palatnik de Sousa¹, Carlos R H Barbosa¹, Elisabeth Costa Monteiro¹

Affiliation

¹ Postgraduate Program in Metrology, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Abstract

The results of a computer simulation examining the compliance of a given transcranial magnetic stimulation device to the 2010 International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) guidelines are presented. The objective was to update the safe distance estimates with the most current safety guidelines, as well as comparing these to values reported in previous publications. The 3D data generated was compared against results available in the literature, regarding the MCB-70 coil by Medtronic. Regarding occupational exposure, safe distances of 1.46 m and 0.96 m are derived from the simulation according to the 2003 and 2010 ICNIRP guidelines, respectively. These values are then compared to safe distances previously reported in other studies.

Keywords: Exposure limits; Metrology; Safety; Spatial distribution; Transcranial magnetic stimulation.

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development of Brazil, through funding of a Master’s Scholarship. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.