Abstract

Overview

The increasing prevalence of mobile phone usage has amplified concerns regarding the potential health risks posed by electromagnetic radiation. This study focuses on the development of averaged phantom heads tailored to children and young adults in Korea using MRI.

Methodology

• Utilization of magnetic resonance images (MRI) and sectioned cadaver images.
• Development of initial template phantoms for age groups of 6, 9, 12, 15-year olds and adults.
• Refinement of phantoms using averaged MRI data from 500 participants.

Findings

The study highlights gender-specific differences in brain development:

• In females, brain size and cranium thickness peak in early teens, then decrease.
• In males, brain size and cranium thickness plateaus or continues to grow.
• The overall brain shape shifts from spherical in children to ellipsoidal in adults.

Applications

Constructed surface and voxel models of phantom heads serve multiple purposes:

• Surface model assists in detailed phantom manipulation.
• Voxel model crucial for compliance tests regarding specific absorption rates (SAR) linked to mobile phone and electronic device usage.

Conclusion

This research substantiates the importance of understanding electromagnetic radiation impacts on diverse age groups and genders, aiding in safer mobile device use through tailored phantom heads and SAR compliance testing.