Short-term effect of exposure to intense magnetic fields on hematologic indices of bone metabolism

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a useful tool in the diagnosis and management of orthopedic disease. Previous reports indicate that magnetic fields of MRI intensity stimulate bone growth in vivo. We investigated the question of whether exposure to intense magnetic fields modified ionic and enzymatic constituents of the circulatory system. Mice were exposed to a static (direct current) magnetic field (1 Tesla) for 30 minutes on each of ten consecutive days. No significant difference in blood alkaline phosphatase, acid phosphatase, calcium ion concentration, and phosphate ion concentration was detected between control, sham-exposed, and magnetic field-exposed mice. These results suggest that exposure to intense magnetic fields does not alter physiological mechanisms of bone mineralization.