Acute neurobehavioral effects of exposure to static magnetic fields: Analyses of exposure–response relations

Abstract

Purpose To assess exposure–response relations between exposure to magnetic fields and neurobehavioral effects. Materials and Methods Twenty company volunteers completed a neurobehavioral test battery after they moved their heads with the magnetic field absent, and while they moved their heads in the inhomogenous stray fields of 1.5 and 3.0 T MRI magnets. Results The value of the stray fields at the position of the head of the volunteer was estimated to be 0.6 T and 1.0 T on the 1.5 T and 3.0 T systems, respectively. Exposure–response relations were found for visual (–2.1%/100 mT) and auditory (–1.0%/100 mT) working memory, eye–hand coordination speed (–1.0%/100 mT), and visual tracking tasks (–3.1%/100 mT). Eye–hand precision, scanning speed, and visual contrast sensitivity were apparently not influenced by the magnetic field strength. Conclusion Additional research should focus on the potential side effects of interventional MR procedures because of the exposure to strong magnetic fields of these systems. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2006.