Occupational exposure to electromagnetic fields in magnetic resonance environment: an update on regulation, exposure assessment techniques, health risk evaluation, and surveillance.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is one of the most-used diagnostic imaging methods worldwide. There are ∼50,000 MRI scanners worldwide each of which involves a minimum of five workers from different disciplines who spend their working days around MRI scanners. This review analyzes the state of the art of literature about the several aspects of the occupational exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMF) in MRI: regulations, literature studies on biological effects, and health surveillance are addressed here in detail, along with a summary of the main approaches for exposure assessment.

Exposure Assessment and Biomonitoring of Workers in Magnetic Resonance Environment: An Exploratory Study.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has evolved rapidly over the past few decades as one of the most flexible tools in medical research and diagnostic imaging. MRI facilities are important sources of multiple exposure to electromagnetic fields for both patients and health-care staff, due to the presence of electromagnetic fields of multiple frequency ranges, different temporal variations, and field strengths. Due to the increasing use and technological advancements of MRI systems, clearer insights into exposure assessment and a better understanding of possible harmful effects due to long-term exposures are highly needed.

Experimental and numerical evaluations on palm microwave heating for Red Palm Weevil pest control.

The invasive Red Palm Weevil is the major pest of palms. Several control methods have been applied, however concern is raised regarding the treatments that can cause significant environmental pollution. In this context the use of microwaves is particularly attractive.

Adverse and beneficial effects in Chinese hamster lung fibroblast cells following radiofrequency exposure.

In this study, the effect of radiofrequency (RF) exposure to 1950 MHz, Universal Mobile Telecommunication System signal, was investigated in Chinese hamster lung fibroblast cell line (V79). Genotoxic and cytotoxic effects of 20-h exposure at specific absorption rate (SAR) values from 0.15 W/kg to 1.

Lack of effects on key cellular parameters of MRC-5 human lung fibroblasts exposed to 370 mT static magnetic field.

The last decades have seen increased interest toward possible adverse effects arising from exposure to intense static magnetic fields. This concern is mainly due to the wider and wider applications of such fields in industry and clinical practice; among them, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) facilities are the main sources of exposure to static magnetic fields for both general public (patients) and workers. In recent investigations, exposures to static magnetic fields have been demonstrated to elicit, in different cell models, both permanent and transient modifications in cellular endpoints critical for the carcinogenesis process.

Purtscher-like retinopathy.

Purtscher-like retinopathy is associated with retinal hemorrhages and ischaemia probably due to the complement-mediated leukoembolization. It is a rare and severe angiopathy found in conditions such as acute pancreatitis. Case.

Influence of treatments in multiple sclerosis disability: a cohort study.

Background And Objective: A critical aspect of multiple sclerosis (MS) treatments is understanding the effect of disease-modifying drugs (DMDs) on the long-term risk of disability and whether the effect is related to disability at start of treatment.

Methods: We performed an observational study on 3060 MS patients. The effect of therapy on progression to Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) 3.

Effect of millimetre waves on phosphatidylcholine membrane models: a non-thermal mechanism of interaction.

The nonthermal biological effects of millimeter waves have been mainly attributed to the interaction with biological membranes. Several data on biomimetic membrane systems seem to support this conclusion. In this paper a mechanistic hypothesis is evaluated to explain such an interaction taking into account experimental NMR data on deuterium-labeled phospholipid vesicles.

Induced movements of giant vesicles by millimeter wave radiation.

Our previous study of interaction between low intensity radiation at 53.37GHz and cell-size system - such as giant vesicles - indicated that a vectorial movement of vesicles was induced. This effect among others, i.

Adaptive response in human blood lymphocytes exposed to non-ionizing radiofrequency fields: resistance to ionizing radiation-induced damage.

The aim of this preliminary investigation was to assess whether human peripheral blood lymphocytes which have been pre-exposed to non-ionizing radiofrequency fields exhibit an adaptive response (AR) by resisting the induction of genetic damage from subsequent exposure to ionizing radiation. Peripheral blood lymphocytes from four healthy donors were stimulated with phytohemagglutinin for 24 h and then exposed for 20 h to 1950 MHz radiofrequency fields (RF, adaptive dose, AD) at an average specific absorption rate of 0.3 W/kg.

Investigating the role of capacitive coupling between the operating table and the return electrode of an electrosurgery unit in the modification of the current density distribution within the patients' body.

Background: Electrosurgery units are widely employed in modern surgery. Advances in technology have enhanced the safety of these devices, nevertheless, accidental burns are still regularly reported. This study focuses on possible causes of sacral burns as complication of the use of electrosurgery.

Permeability changes of cationic liposomes loaded with carbonic anhydrase induced by millimeter waves radiation.

The interaction of millimeter wave radiation, in the 30-300 GHz range, with biological systems is a topic of great interest as many of the vibrational dynamics that occur in biochemical reactions of large macromolecules in living organisms fall in the 1-100 GHz range. Membranes and cellular organelles may have different ways of interacting with this radiation as well. In this article, we investigate the influence of 53.

Induction of an adaptive response in human blood lymphocytes exposed to radiofrequency fields: influence of the universal mobile telecommunication system (UMTS) signal and the specific absorption rate.

The induction of an adaptive response (AR) was examined in human peripheral blood lymphocytes exposed to non-ionizing radiofrequency fields (RF). Cells from nine healthy human volunteers were stimulated for 24h with phytohaemagglutinin and then exposed for 20h to an adaptive dose (AD) of a 1950MHz RF UMTS (universal mobile telecommunication system) signal used for mobile communications, at different specific absorption rates (SAR) of 1.25, 0.

Evaluation of Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration equation to estimate glomerular filtration rate in scleroderma patients.

Objective: Renal involvement in SSc is often subclinical and chronic kidney disease (CKD) develops, with slow worsening of glomerular filtration rate (GFR). The present investigation was undertaken in order to study how well the Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD-EPI) correlates with measured GFR (mGFR) in a group of SSc patients with serum creatinine (sCr) in the normal range.

Methods: Forty-one scleroderma patients (37 females and 4 males) with a median age of 46 years were enrolled.

Radiofrequency radiation at 1950 MHz (UMTS) does not affect key cellular endpoints in neuron-like PC12 cells.

In this study, rat pheochromocytoma (PC12) cells were exposed, as a model of neuron-like cells, to 1950 MHz radiofrequency (RF) radiation with a signal used by the 3G wireless technology of the Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) to assess possible adverse effects. RF exposure for 24 h at a specific absorption rate (SAR) of 10 W/kg was carried out in a waveguide system under accurately controlled environmental and dosimetric parameters. DNA integrity, cell viability, and apoptosis were investigated as cellular endpoints relevant for carcinogenesis and other diseases of the central nervous system.

Intrarenal hemodynamic parameters correlate with glomerular filtration rate and digital microvascular damage in patients with systemic sclerosis.

Objectives: To evaluate intrarenal arterial stiffness by Doppler ultrasound and examine the correlation between renal Doppler indices, glomerular filtration rate, and digital microvascular damage in systemic sclerosis patients.

Methods: Thirty systemic sclerosis patients and 30 healthy controls were enrolled in this study. Doppler indices of intrarenal arterial stiffness, peak systolic flow velocity, end diastolic flow velocity, resistive index, pulsative index, and systolic/diastolic (S/D) ratio were measured on the interlobar artery of both kidneys.

Microwave induced shift of the main phase transition in phosphatidylcholine membranes.

Numerous experimental evidence show that exposure of biological systems to extremely high frequency microwaves may induce significant effects even at low powers. These effects are thought to occur via nonthermal mechanisms involving primarily the interaction of microwaves with phospholipid membrane structures. However, no conclusive experimental evidence that biomembranes exhibit remarkable sensitivity to this radiation has been provided up to now.

Epidemiology of multiple sclerosis in south-western Sardinia.

Background: Sardinia is a known high-risk area for multiple sclerosis (MS), but no data for south-western Sardinia (SWS) are available. SWS has a genetically homogeneous population, apart from St Peter Island, and represents a peculiar environment related to the industrial, mineralogical and military economy.

Objective: To estimate prevalence and incidence and to evaluate temporal trends and geographical distribution of MS in SWS.

Carotid body tumors: radioguided surgical approach.

Background: Carotid body tumours (CBTs) are very rare lesions which should be treated as soon as possible even when benign since small tumour size permits easier removal and lower incidence of perioperative complications and recurrence. Malignant forms are rare and they can be identified by lymph node invasion and metastases in distant locations. The need of reliable and effective diagnostic modalities for both primary CBTs and its metastases or recurrence is evident.

Clinical experience with pheochromocytoma in a single centre over 16 years.

Background: Pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma are rare tumours of neuroectodermal origin. Pheochromocytoma occurs in 0.1-2% of people with hypertension, while the incidence rises to 4-5% in patients with incidental adrenal mass.

Reactive oxygen species formation is not enhanced by exposure to UMTS 1950 MHz radiation and co-exposure to ferrous ions in Jurkat cells.

This study was designed to assess if radiofrequency (RF) radiation induces oxidative stress in cultured mammalian cells when given alone or in combination with ferrous ions (FeSO(4)). For this purpose the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was measured by flow cytometry in human lymphoblastoid cells exposed to 1950 MHz signal used by the third generation wireless technology of the Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS) at Specific Absorption Rate of 0.5 and 2.

The response of giant phospholipid vesicles to millimeter waves radiation.

Due to the increasing interest in millimeter waves (MMW) applications in medicine and telecommunications, the investigation of their potential biological effects is of utmost importance. Here we report results of the study of interaction between low-intensity radiation at 53.37 GHz and giant vesicles.

Carotid body tumors: advantages of contrast ultrasound investigation.

Carotid body tumors are rare neoplasms that have to be considered in the evaluation of all lateral neck mass. Early surgical removal has been recommended to avoid possible cranial nerve injury, the most common perioperative complication. Computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRA) angiographies are the preferred pre-operative diagnostic imaging investigations, as well as the 111 In-pentetreotide scintigraphic scan, whereas the standard ultrasound investigations have poor sensitivity in characterizing of the blood flows of the parenchimal structure of the carotid body tumors.

SAR and efficiency evaluation of a 900 MHz waveguide chamber for cell exposure.

In this work we present the results of numerical and experimental dosimetry carried out for an in vitro exposure device to irradiate sample groups at 900 MHz. The cells are kept in 8 and 15 ml cell cultures, contained, respectively in T25 and T75 rectangular flasks. The dosimetric assessment of the distribution of the specific absorption rate (SAR) is performed for both the bottom of the flask and the whole volume of the sample to provide results for experiments on either the cell layer or the cell suspension.