Effects of high energy radiation on AICDs and programmable pacemakers

The response to ionizing radiation of 23 modern programmable pacemakers and four automatic implantable cardioverter defibrillators (AICSs) using CMOS technology is presented. Proton and electron radiation of various energies and dose levels were used. Eight of the 17 pacemakers exposed to the photon radiation failed before 50 Gy, 4 at doses <17 Gy. Four of the six pacemakers exposed to the direct electron beam failed before 70 Gy. Scatter doses, with the units outside the beam, were well tolerated by this group of pacemakers. Three of the four AICDs exposed to photon radiation, showed a major failure before 55 Gy. The charging and detection times increased with radiation dose