Personal medical electronic devices and walk-through metal detector security systems: assessing EMI effects

2017 · Mixed · Low evidence

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MixedLow evidencePaper 1333

Study snapshot

Publicationmanual · 2017

Study typeengineering

Reported directionMixed

Evidence ratingLow

Abstract

Personal medical electronic devices and walk-through metal detector security systems: assessing EMI effects Guag J, Addissie B, Witters D. Personal medical electronic devices and walk-through metal detector security systems: assessing electromagnetic interference effects. Biomed Eng Online. 2017 Mar 20;16(1):33. doi: 10.1186/s12938-017-0328-9. Abstract BACKGROUND: There have been concerns that Electromagnetic security systems such as walk-through metal detectors (WTMDs) can potentially cause electromagnetic interference (EMI) in certain active medical devices including implantable cardiac pacemakers and implantable neurostimulators. Incidents of EMI between WTMDs and active medical devices also known as personal medical electronic devices (PMED) continue to be reported. This paper reports on emission measurements of sample WTMDs and testing of 20 PMEDs in a WTMD simulation system. METHODS: Magnetic fields from sample WTMD systems were characterized for emissions and exposure of certain PMEDs. A WTMD simulator system designed and evaluated by FDA in previous studies was used to mimic the PMED exposures to the waveform from sample WTMDs. The simulation system allows for controlled PMED exposure enabling careful study with adjustable magnetic field strengths and exposure duration, and provides flexibility for PMED exposure at elevated levels in order to study EMI effects on the PMED. The PMED samples consisted of six implantable cardiac pacemakers, six implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICD), five implantable neurostimulators, and three insulin pumps. Each PMED was exposed in the simulator to the sample WTMD waveforms using methods based on appropriate consensus test standards for each of the device type. RESULTS: Testing the sample PMEDs using the WTMD simulator revealed EMI effects on two implantable pacemakers and one implantable neurostimulator for exposure field strength comparable to actual WTMD field strength. The observed effects were transient and the PMEDs returned to pre-exposure operation within a few seconds after removal from the simulated WTMD exposure fields. No EMI was observed for the sample ICDs or insulin pumps. CONCLUSION: The findings are consistent with earlier studies where certain sample PMEDs exhibited EMI effects. Clinical implications were not addressed in this study. Additional studies are needed to evaluate potential PMED EMI susceptibilities over a broader range of security systems. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

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AI evidence extraction

Structured fields below were generated from the paper’s abstract and metadata to make the evidence easier to inspect. Automated extraction may be incomplete or incorrect; verify important details against the original paper.

Study typeengineering

Effect directionmixed

PopulationNot supplied

Sample size20

Exposureadjustable exposure duration in simulator (not quantified)

Evidence strengthLowConfidence: 74% · Peer reviewed: yes

Main findings

Using a WTMD simulator with waveforms from sample walk-through metal detectors, EMI effects were observed in two implantable pacemakers and one implantable neurostimulator at field strengths comparable to actual WTMD field strength; effects were transient with return to pre-exposure operation within a few seconds after removal from exposure. No EMI was observed for the sample implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) or insulin pumps.

Outcomes measured

electromagnetic interference (EMI) effects in personal medical electronic devices (PMEDs)
transient device effects and recovery time
device-type susceptibility (pacemakers, ICDs, neurostimulators, insulin pumps)

Limitations

Clinical implications were not addressed.
Only sample WTMD systems and a limited set of PMED samples were tested.
Exposure parameters (e.g., specific frequencies, exact field strengths, and durations) are not quantified in the abstract.
Authors note need for additional studies across a broader range of security systems.

View raw extracted JSON

{
  "study_type": "engineering",
  "exposure": {
    "band": null,
    "source": "walk-through metal detector (WTMD) security system",
    "frequency_mhz": null,
    "sar_wkg": null,
    "duration": "adjustable exposure duration in simulator (not quantified)"
  },
  "population": null,
  "sample_size": 20,
  "outcomes": [
    "electromagnetic interference (EMI) effects in personal medical electronic devices (PMEDs)",
    "transient device effects and recovery time",
    "device-type susceptibility (pacemakers, ICDs, neurostimulators, insulin pumps)"
  ],
  "main_findings": "Using a WTMD simulator with waveforms from sample walk-through metal detectors, EMI effects were observed in two implantable pacemakers and one implantable neurostimulator at field strengths comparable to actual WTMD field strength; effects were transient with return to pre-exposure operation within a few seconds after removal from exposure. No EMI was observed for the sample implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) or insulin pumps.",
  "effect_direction": "mixed",
  "limitations": [
    "Clinical implications were not addressed.",
    "Only sample WTMD systems and a limited set of PMED samples were tested.",
    "Exposure parameters (e.g., specific frequencies, exact field strengths, and durations) are not quantified in the abstract.",
    "Authors note need for additional studies across a broader range of security systems."
  ],
  "evidence_strength": "low",
  "confidence": 0.74,
  "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
  "keywords": [
    "electromagnetic interference",
    "EMI",
    "walk-through metal detector",
    "WTMD",
    "security systems",
    "personal medical electronic devices",
    "PMED",
    "implantable cardiac pacemaker",
    "implantable cardioverter defibrillator",
    "ICD",
    "implantable neurostimulator",
    "insulin pump",
    "magnetic fields",
    "exposure simulation",
    "FDA simulator"
  ],
  "suggested_hubs": [
    {
      "slug": "occupational-exposure",
      "weight": 0.28,
      "reason": "Study concerns exposure to security screening systems (WTMDs) that may be encountered in workplaces/public security settings and evaluates device interference under controlled exposure."
    }
  ]
}

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AI-extracted fields are generated from the abstract and metadata and may be incomplete or incorrect. This material is for informational purposes and is not medical advice.

Identifiers and source

DOI: 10.1186/s12938-017-0328-9
PubMed: Not supplied

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