BOC Domain 4 Treatment and Rehab – Therapeutic Modalities Practice Test

Diathermy uses electromagnetic energy in the radiofrequency range to generate tissue heating. Because it emits RF energy, it can interfere with devices and systems that rely on radio frequencies, such as radios and other RF equipment, and can potentially affect implanted electronic devices. The other modalities operate with energy forms outside the radiofrequency band: ultrasound uses mechanical sound waves, cryotherapy relies on cooling without RF emission, and infrared therapy uses infrared light. That makes diathermy the modality capable of interfering with radio frequencies.