Study type: Medical/biological study (experimental study)

No effects of short-term GSM mobile phone radiation on cerebral blood flow measured using positron emission tomography med./bio.

By: Kwon MS, Vorobyev V, Kännälä S, Laine M, Rinne JO, Toivonen T, Johansson J, Teras M, Joutsa J, Tuominen L, Lindholm H, Alanko T, Hamalainen H
Published in: Bioelectromagnetics 2012; 33 (3): 247-256
Download citation in RIS format

Aim of study (acc. to author)

To study the effects of a pulse modulated GSM handset signal on cerebral blood flow, using three different mobile phone locations (left ear, right ear, forehead) to test for possible exposure effects on brain regions close to the exposure source.

Endpoint

Exposure

Exposure Parameters
Exposure 1: 902.4 MHz
Modulation type: pulsed
Exposure duration: 12 times 5 min (including sham exposure) with a 10 min interscan interval
  • power: 240 mW
  • SAR: 1 W/kg average over mass (10 g) (phone at the right ear turned on - measured with the SAM phantom)
  • SAR: 1.1 W/kg average over mass (10 g) (phone at the left ear turned on - measured with the SAM phantom)
  • SAR: 1.4 W/kg average over mass (1 g) (phone at the right ear turned on - measured with the SAM phantom)
  • SAR: 1.5 W/kg average over mass (1 g) (phone at the left ear turned on - measured with the SAM phantom)
  • SAR: 27 mW/kg maximum (brain) (spatial average when the phone at the forehead turned on)
  • SAR: 12.8 mW/kg maximum (brain) (spatial average when the phone at the left ear turned on)
  • SAR: 17.4 mW/kg maximum (brain) (spatial average when the phone at the right ear turned on)

Exposure 1

Main characteristics
Frequency 902.4 MHz
Exposure duration 12 times 5 min (including sham exposure) with a 10 min interscan interval
Modulation
Modulation type pulsed
Pulse width 0.577 ms
Additional info

burst repetition time: 4.615 ms
Exposure setup
Exposure source
Setup test person's head restrained to the scanner's head rest by a thermoplastic mask; three mobile phones attached to a helmet at the positions of left ear, right ear and forehead; transmitters deactived, batteries removed and antenna input replaced by coaxial cables for all phones; for each five min scan only one of the phones was turned on or for sham exposure all phones were turned off
Sham exposure A sham exposure was conducted.
Parameters
Measurand Value Type Method Mass Remarks
power 240 mW - - - -
SAR 1 W/kg average over mass measured 10 g phone at the right ear turned on - measured with the SAM phantom
SAR 1.1 W/kg average over mass measured 10 g phone at the left ear turned on - measured with the SAM phantom
SAR 1.4 W/kg average over mass measured 1 g phone at the right ear turned on - measured with the SAM phantom
SAR 1.5 W/kg average over mass measured 1 g phone at the left ear turned on - measured with the SAM phantom
SAR 27 mW/kg maximum calculated brain spatial average when the phone at the forehead turned on
SAR 12.8 mW/kg maximum calculated brain spatial average when the phone at the left ear turned on
SAR 17.4 mW/kg maximum calculated brain spatial average when the phone at the right ear turned on

Reference articles

  • Christ A et al. (2010): The Virtual Family--development of surface-based anatomical models of two adults and two children for dosimetric simulations
  • Boutry CM et al. (2008): Dosimetric evaluation and comparison of different RF exposure apparatuses used in human volunteer studies

Exposed system:

Methods Endpoint/measurement parameters/methodology

Investigated system:
Investigated organ system:
Time of investigation:
  • during exposure

Main outcome of study (acc. to author)

The mobile phone exposure induced a slight temperature rise in the ear canals, but did not affect brain hemodynamics and task performance. The data provided no evidence for acute effects of short-term mobile phone exposure on cerebral blood flow.

Study character:

Study funded by

Related articles