Possible electromagnetic interference with electronic medical equipment by radio waves coming from outside the hospital.

Hanada E, Kodama K, Takano K, Watanabe Y, Nose Y

J Med Syst 25(4):257-267, 2001

Electromagnetic interference (EMI) with electronic medical equipment by radio waves from mobile telephone handsets has been reported and is currently receiving wide attention. The possibility of EMI with electronic medical equipment by radio waves coming into the hospital has also been pointed out. But so far, there are no reports measuring the frequency distribution of electric field intensity induced by incoming radio waves.

Therefore, we measured electric field intensity induced by radio waves coming into our 11-floor hospital, which was under construction. The maximum intensity observed was about 200 V/m at 2.79 GHz, from airport surveillance radar waves. The maximum intensity induced by radio waves from cellular phone base stations was 1.78 V/m. These data show that various frequencies of radio waves are common in this urban area, and that they induce strong electricfield intensity. This strong electric field intensity might cause EMI with electronic medical equipment.

Measurement of the electromagnetic environment should be done by each hospital in urban areas to prevent EMI with electronic medical equipment.