Quick search Find article
Quick search
Find article

A model for determining the induced voltage at the terminals of a pacemaker exposed to a low frequency magnetic field

J P Andretzko, A Hedjiedj and L Guendouz

Show affiliations


This paper presents a method for calculating induced voltage, in vitro, at the terminals of a unipolar pacemaker (PM) subjected to a low frequency magnetic field. We propose a theoretical model which has been experimentally verified by using a homogeneous phantom model placed at the centre of the source generating a homogeneous magnetic field. The levels of the magnetic field used in our experiment are in accordance with the European Directive 2004/40/EC, which sets the occupational electromagnetic field exposure limits. The voltage induced at the terminals of an implanted pacemaker results in the superimposition of two different voltage sources. The first is due to the presence of the loop formed by the PM system and the second is due to the induced currents circulating in the coupling medium. The influence of the induced currents, calculated by the impedance method, is weak compared to the voltage of the loop. The theoretical results obtained agree with the experimental value. Thus, the proposed model can be used to predict the behaviour of a pacemaker subjected to a low frequency magnetic field as well as to those fields within the accepted exposure limits for a patient with a pacemaker.


PACS

87.19.Hh Cardiac dynamics

87.19.R- Mechanical and electrical properties of tissues and organs

87.50.C- Static and low-frequency electric and magnetic fields effects

Subjects

Medical physics

Biological physics

Dates

Issue 9 (September 2008)

Received 12 March 2008, accepted for publication 18 July 2008

Published 10 September 2008



View by subject




Export








Please login to access our web services, or create an account if you don't yet have one.

You must have cookies enabled in your web browser to be able to login.

Username
Password

Forgotten your password? Get a new one here.