Shortwave Diathermy

By
Ass.Prof. Dr. Gehan Mosad
 At the end of the lecture the
student should be able to
 Define short wave diathermy and know its
types
 Discuss the mechanism of heat production by
SWD
 Understand methods and techniques of SW
application
 Identify factors affecting field distribution
 Know the precautions of using SWD
 Shortwave Diathermy
 SWD is a means of producing therapeutic heat in
the tissues by the use of radio waves of high
frequency.
 Shortwave radiation is within the radiofrequency
range( 3 kHz to 300 MHz and wavelengths of 1 m to
100 km).
 SWD machine used by physiotherapy utilize the
frequency of 27.12 MHz and wavelength of 11 meter.
 There are two types of SWD
 Continuous shortwave
 Pulsed shortwave
 Heat Production by SWD

 Any living tissue consists of three types

of molecules:
 Charged molecules

 Dipolar molecules

 Non polar molecules

 All of three types will influence the

conductivity and hence the heating
produced by SWD
 Heat Production by SWD (cont)
Passing a current of sufficient intensity at a high
frequency increases the internal kinetic energy of
matter causes heating and increase temperature in
the material.
SWD produces heat through tissue by:
- Vibration of charged molecules (ions and certain
proteins)
- Rotation of dipolar molecules (water and some
proteins)
- Distortion of non-polar molecules (fat cells)
Molecular reaction to high frequency
alternating current
 Methods of shortwave
application
 Capacitive method
By using:
 Air space plates

 Pad electrodes.

 Inductive method

By using:
 Cables
 Drums.
 Capacitive method

 A high-frequency a alternating
electric current flows from one
plate to the other through the
patient, producing an electric
field and a flow of current in
the body tissue that is between
the plates.

 The patient is part of the electric

circuit connecting the two electrodes.
Area to be treated is placed between
electrodes and becomes part of external circuit.

 As the current flows through the tissue,

it causes oscillation of charged particles
and thus increases tissue temperature.
 Capacitive method
1- Air Space Plates
 They are metal
plates encased in a
plastic housing.

 Metal plates can be

adjusted 3cm within
guard.
Capacitive method
Air Space Plates
 Capacitive method
2- Pad Electrodes
 They are malleable
metal covered with a
thin layer of rubber
 They must have
uniform contact
pressure on the body
 Towels are used to
prevent burns
 Inductive method

 The tissues are placed in the electromagnetic

field by the use of an insulated cable or coil
electrode which is available in two forms Cable
Electrodes and Drum Electrodes.
 The cable may be wrapped around the
extremity or coiled flat like a pancake and
placed on the skin
 Patient placed in a magnetic field NOT part of
a circuit
 Cable Electrodes

The cable is wrapped The cable is coiled flat like

around a pancake and placed on
the skin
the extremity
 Drum electrode

A drum applicator is made of flat spiral coil inside a plastic

housing
Inductive method (cont.)
 When high frequency alternating current (AC)
flows in the inductive coil produces magnetic
field perpendicular to the coil which in turn
produces eddy current inside the tissue.
 These induced electric currents cause charged
particles in the tissue to oscillate. The friction
produced by this oscillation causes an elevation in
tissue temperature
 The amount of heat generated in the tissue is
affected by the strength of the magnetic field
that reaches the tissue and by the strength and
intensity of the induced eddy current.
Inductive method (cont.)
 The strength of magnetic field is affected by the
distance of tissue from the applicator according to
inverse square law.
 The strength of the induced eddy currents is
determined by:
- strength of the magnetic field in the area
- electrical conductivity of the tissue in the area.
 The electrical conductivity of tissue depends
primarily on
- tissue type
- frequency of the signal being applied.
Inductive method (cont.)
 Metals and tissues with a high water and
electrolyte content, such as muscle or
synovial fluid, have high electrical
conductivity, whereas tissues with a low
water content, such as fat, bone, and
collagen, have low electrical conductivity.
 Thus, inductive coils can heat both deep
and superficial tissues, but they produce
the most heat in tissues with the highest
electrical conductivity
• The drum is placed directly
over the area being treated
• May use more than one
drum depending on treatment
area
• Toweling is important
•The cable is arranged in a
pancake shape
• Towel between skin and coil
• Spacing between turns in coil
must be at least 3cm and
maintained by using rubber or
wooden spacer.
 Techniques of application of
SWD
I. Positioning of electrode in capacitive method
 Contraplanner technique:
It is used to treat structure on the two aspect of the body. Two
electrodes are placed on opposite sides of the part being
treated e.g. joint.
 Co-planner technique:
It is used to treat structure on one aspect of the body .Two
electrodes are placed on the same line together of the part
being treated e.g. back.
Techniques of application of
SWD (cont.)
The distance between electrodes must be greater than
sum of skin electrode distance, other wise the line of
force passes between the electrodes rather than
through the tissue
 Cross fire technique
The position of electrodes is contra planner technique.
But, half of treatment time, the electrodes are placed
anterior and posterior to the treated area and the
second half of time, the electrodes are repositioned,
lateral and medial to the treated area, e.g. pelvis.
Techniques of application of
SWD (cont.)
II. Shape of electrode in inductive method.
In case of cable electrode
 wrapped around the extremity

 coiled flat like a pancake and placed on the

skin
 Factors affecting field distribution
Capacitive Electrodes

1- Spacing of electrode:
- Normal spacing Uniform field
- Closely spaced Superficial heating
- Far spaced Deep heating
- Unequal spacing Superficial heat under closer one
2- Size of electrode:
- Electrode is little larger than the part Uniform field
- Electrode is too bigger than the part Heat loss
- Electrode is too smaller than the part Superficial heat
- Electrode are of unequal size Superficial heat
under smaller one
 Factors affecting field
distribution (cont.)
3- Position of electrode relative to the tissue
- Electrode parallel to skin surface
Uniform field
- The distance between electrodes less than the
combined skin electrode distances
Most of field passes through air space
- Electrode isn't parallel to skin surface
Superficial heat under closest part of electrode
Factors affecting field distribution
Capacitive Electrodes
 Precautions
 Electronic or magnetic equipment in the field
The SWD device should be isolated from these devices.
Because the treatment field may interfere with such
equipments as computers. It is recommended that the
leads and applicators of diathermy devices be at least 3
m, and preferably 5 m, from other equipments.
 Obesity
Diathermy should be used with caution in obese
patient because it may heat fat excessively, especially
capacitive plate.
 Copper bearing intra-uterine contraceptive devices
Diathermy should be used with caution with patient
using copper-bearing intrauterine contraceptive device.