Where Are Magnets Used in Medical Equipment?
Magnets are used in multiple areas of medicine and are used in the diagnosis of medical problems as well as the treatment. For the most part, magnets are used in the production of sophisticated medical equipment. These devices deal with sensory problems, disease and organ function.
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Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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Magnetic resonance imaging uses superconducting magnets to form images of the inside of a human body. The machine creates a magnetic field across human tissue. Purposeful variations in the field allow measurable levels to correspond to specific areas of the tissue. The machine then detects the radio frequencies of protons as they are affected by the magnetic field. Taking the magnetic field into account, these frequencies can be used to determine the density of protons in tissue. Since different tissues have different proton densities, a cross section of the body through which the field is cast can be created.
Hearing Aids
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Some modern hearing aids use magnetic fields whereas conventional hearing aids use electricity. These devices are surgically implanted in the middle ear. Rather than amplify the sound coming into the patients ear, these devices increase the effectiveness of the ear itself. The electromagnetic field that the device gives off increase the vibrations of the bones in the inner ear which create sound. This allows the patient to distinguish sound with greater clarity, as well as increasing volume.
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Ventricular Assist Devices
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A ventricular assist device (VCD) IS a type of pump used to help patients with failing hearts and who cannot receive a transplant. A VAD operates by using electromagnets to cause a magnetic rotor to spin. This rotor is the source of the mechanical energy used to pump blood. An electronic controlling device monitors the magnets to keep the rotor spinning at the correct rate to mimic the pumping capacity of a healthy heart.
Migraines
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Researchers have created devices to cure migraines through a process called transcranial magnetic stimulation. This process delivers magnetic pulses from a device placed against the back of the head. It does not require any surgical implantation. It is administered when a migraine sufferer begins to feel a migraine coming on and has been shown to effectively end the migraine within hours. The magnetic pulses create electrical changes within the brain, which studies have shown to reduce the pain. The technology has been effective in testing, but more research is needed before it will be approved by the FDA.
Magnet Therapy
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Magnet therapy is a form of alternative medicine, and its effectiveness has little scientific basis. However, the University of Virginia reports that a professor of biomedical engineering has conducted research and found that a specific magnetic field can help to prevent and reduce swelling. This could decrease pain and be used in physical therapy to increase the speed at which damaged tissue can heal. Though research continues, a magnetic device could be developed to produce a specific magnetic field with first aid and theraputic applications.
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References
- Georgia State Universoty: Magnetic Resonance Imaging
- Ohio State Universitty: New Middle-Ear Hearing Device Gives Hope to People With Moderate to Severe Hearing Loss
- University of Virginia: The Medical Physics of Ventricular Assist Devices
- University of Rhode Island: Using Electricity to Treat Migraines
- University of Virginia: Magnet Therapy: Fact or Fiction?
- Photo Credit medicina_nuclear-15 image by Paco Ayala from Fotolia.com
