Acoustic noise generated by TMS in typical environment and inside an MRI scanner

The operation of a transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) coil produces high-intensity impulse sounds. In TMS, a magnetic field is generated by a short-duration pulse in the range of thousands of amperes in the TMS coil. When placed in a strong magnetic field, such as inside a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) bore, the interaction of the magnetic field and the current in the TMS coil can cause strong forces on the coil casing. The strengths of these forces depend on the coil orientation in the main magnetic field (B₀). Part of the energy in this process is dissipated in the form of acoustic noise.

Our objective was to measure the sound pressure levels (SPL) of TMS "click" sounds created by commercial TMS stimulators and coils in a typical environment and inside a 3-T MRI scanner and advance the knowledge of the acoustic behaviour of TMS to safely conduct TMS alone as well as concurrently with functional MRI (fMRI).

We report SPL measurements of two commercial MRI-compatible TMS systems in the 3-T B₀ field of an MRI scanner and in the earth's magnetic field. Also, we present the acoustic noise measurements of four commercial TMS stimulators and three different TMS coils in a typical operational environment without the B₀ field.

The maximum peak SPL measured was 158 dB(C) inside the 3-T MRI scanner. Outside the scanner, the maximum peak SPL was 117 dB(C). Inside the scanner, the peak SPL increased by 21-45 dB(C) depending on the stimulator and the orientation of the electric field relative to the B field.

Hearing protection is obligatory during concurrent TMS-fMRI experiments and highly recommended during any TMS experiment. The manufacturing of quieter TMS systems is encouraged to reduce the risk of hearing damage and other unwanted effects.