J Wiart et al 2008 Phys. Med. Biol. 53 3681 doi:10.1088/0031-9155/53/13/019
J Wiart1, A Hadjem1, M F Wong1 and I Bloch2
Show affiliationsThis paper analyzes the radio frequencies (RF) exposure in the head tissues of children using a cellular handset or RF sources (a dipole and a generic handset) at 900, 1800, 2100 and 2400 MHz. Based on magnetic resonance imaging, child head models have been developed. The maximum specific absorption rate (SAR) over 10 g in the head has been analyzed in seven child and six adult heterogeneous head models. The influence of the variability in the same age class is carried out using models based on a morphing technique. The SAR over 1 g in specific tissues has also been assessed in the different types of child and adult head models. Comparisons are performed but nevertheless need to be confirmed since they have been derived from data sets of limited size. The simulations that have been performed show that the differences between the maximum SAR over 10 g estimated in the head models of the adults and the ones of the children are small compared to the standard deviations. But they indicate that the maximum SAR in 1 g of peripheral brain tissues of the child models aged between 5 and 8 years is about two times higher than in adult models. This difference is not observed for the child models of children above 8 years old: the maximum SAR in 1 g of peripheral brain tissues is about the same as the one in adult models. Such differences can be explained by the lower thicknesses of pinna, skin and skull of the younger child models.
87.50.S- Radiofrequency/microwave fields effects
Issue 13 (7 July 2008)
Received 9 November 2007, in final form 5 May 2008
Published 18 June 2008
J Wiart et al 2008 Phys. Med. Biol. 53 3681
D P M Zaks et al 2009 Environ. Res. Lett. 4 044010
Daniel Pertot et al 2009 J. Phys. B: At. Mol. Opt. Phys. 42 215305
S Krishan and A A Selim 1968 Plasma Phys. 10 931
T Peters et al 2008 New J. Phys. 10 073019
S Hofmann 1998 Rep. Prog. Phys. 61 639
R Achenbach et al 2008 JINST 3 P03001
R Swanepoel 1983 J. Phys. E: Sci. Instrum. 16 1214
Joseph M Alcamo et al 2008 Environ. Res. Lett. 3 010202
Nemesio J Rodríguez-Fernández 2006 J. Phys.: Conf. Ser. 54 35