What is the heat transfer method used in diathermy?

What is the heat transfer method used in diathermy?

• A. Conduction
• B. Convection
• C. Radiation
• D. Evaporation

Answer: (B)

Diathermy heats tissues by electromagnetic energy. The device emits RF energy that travels to the body as waves and is absorbed by tissue, where it is converted into heat (dielectric heating in some setups or resistive heating in others). That makes radiation the heat transfer method at work here. Heat then spreads within tissue mainly by conduction, and is carried away locally by blood flow (a form of convection), but the energy transfer from device to tissue itself is through electromagnetic radiation. Evaporation isn’t how diathermy delivers heat, and conduction would imply heat transfer by direct contact from a hot surface, which isn’t how diathermy primarily works.

Diathermy heats tissues by electromagnetic energy. The device emits RF energy that travels to the body as waves and is absorbed by tissue, where it is converted into heat (dielectric heating in some setups or resistive heating in others). That makes radiation the heat transfer method at work here. Heat then spreads within tissue mainly by conduction, and is carried away locally by blood flow (a form of convection), but the energy transfer from device to tissue itself is through electromagnetic radiation. Evaporation isn’t how diathermy delivers heat, and conduction would imply heat transfer by direct contact from a hot surface, which isn’t how diathermy primarily works.