A finite element thermal model of the head has been developed to calculate
temperature rises generated in the brain by radiation from cellular telepho
nes and similar electromagnetic devices. A 1 mm resolution MRI dataset was
segmented semiautomatically, assigning each volume element to one of ten ti
ssue types. A finite element mesh was then generated using a fully automati
c tetrahedral mesh generator developed at NRPB. There are two sources of he
at in the model: firstly the natural metabolic heat production; and secondl
y the power absorbed from the electromagnetic field. The SAR was derived fr
om a finite difference time domain model of the head, coupled to a model 'm
obile phone', namely a quarter-wavelength antenna mounted on a metal box. T
he steady-state temperature distribution was calculated using the standard
Pennes 'bioheat equation'. In the normal cerebral cortex the high blood per
fusion rate serves to provide an efficient cooling mechanism. In the case o
f equipment generally available to the public, the maximum temperature rise
found in the brain was about 0.1 degrees C. These results will help in the
further development of criteria for exposure guidelines, and the technique
developed may be used to assess temperature rises associated with SARs for
different types of RF exposure.