Magnetic Effects of MRI
Margaret Glaser
I was just reading the post on MRI effects in the long-term. It is
interesting that there do not seem to be any long-term studies. It
would be difficult to say that there is no effect, when there is no
mechanism (?) for recording any effects and processing the
information. Considering how often they are used---not just for
specific medical purposes, but in studies on basically well people in
order to learn more about some aspect of human functioning---it would
seem ethically wrong to continue with no long view. I don't know how
many years they have been used, but I believe the intensity and
frequencies, and perhaps the characteristics of the wave forms have
changed over the years, so that one might not be sure that what used
to seem safe, still is.
MRI evolved in an environment in which there was the belief that non-
ionizing radiation would not hurt you, as long as it was not intense
enough to burn or cook you. That view is being seriously challenged
in a lot of peer-reviewed studies around the world now---especially
studies done without RF industry money. A good review of the
science---several hundred pages worth, but in sections---can be found
at www.bioinitiative.org. This was completed in summer of 2007 by an
international working group of independent researchers and public
health experts. Called "The BioInitiative Report," it has been
having a big impact in Europe and some other parts of the world. It
led the European Union this year to issue a resolution concerning the
need for precaution re RF (radiofrequency radiation), and several
other countries have weighed in on this, as well.
I'm not sure whether MRI is mentioned in the report. I think it is
an area that will be one of the last to be addressed, because of the
medical benefit that is gained in most cases. But if you read the
review of the studies, you will see that all different frequencies
and intensities of RF are "whispering" (so to speak) to the body and
these signals are evoking reactions from the body's cells, affecting
different processes. It appears that about 2-3% of the population
may be more sensitive to RF and EMFs in general, than others. One of
the effects that has been seen in several studies to occur at an
exceedingly low intensity level is the opening of the blood-brain
barrier. This should make us pause, at least, and start looking at
potential long-term effects from multiple MRI's. One "established"
effect, which I heard about from the RF industry people themselves,
is that some people experience "seasickness" while having an MRI
(presumably, contrast medium effects were accounted for). "Don't
ask, don't tell" is not a good policy when it comes to determining
whether medical procedures are truly safe in the long-run.
Dr Engelbert Buxbaum
<bitte...@sbcglobal.net>:
> MRI evolved in an environment in which there was the belief that non-
> ionizing radiation would not hurt you, as long as it was not intense
> enough to burn or cook you. That view is being seriously challenged in
> a lot of peer-reviewed studies around the world now---especially studies
> done without RF industry money. A good review of the science---several
> hundred pages worth, but in sections---can be found at
> www.bioinitiative.org.
Those interested in the so called "electromagnetic hypersensitivity
syndrome" can find a report on a conference by WHO under
http://whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2006/9241594128_eng.pdf
For those short of time my summary of this report:
- there are some sick people out there who claim their condition is caused
by electromagnetic fields.
- these people can not detect the presence of EMF and their condition is
independent of the presence or absence of such fields in double-blind
studies.
- there is no physical or epidemiological evidence suggesting a connection
between EMF and disease (if dose is within internationally accepted
limits).
- there is often a pre-existing psychiatric condition and signs + symptoms
may worsen by the fear of EMF.
- patients should be carefully evaluated (both their medical condition and
their environment), any cause for disease found should be eliminated.
Otherwise the treatment is symptomatical.