Power absorption and temperature rise in deep learning based head models for local radiofrequency exposures

<i>Objective.</i>Computational uncertainty and variability of power absorption and temperature rise in humans for radiofrequency (RF) exposure is a critical factor in ensuring human protection. This aspect has been emphasized as a priority. However, accurately modeling head tissue composition and assigning tissue dielectric and thermal properties remains a challenging task. This study investigated the impact of segmentation-based versus segmentation-free models for assessing localized RF exposure.<i>Approach.</i>Two computational head models were compared: one employing traditional tissue segmentation and the other leveraging deep learning to estimate tissue dielectric and thermal properties directly from magnetic resonance images. The finite-difference time-domain method and the bioheat transfer equation was solved to assess temperature rise for local exposure. Inter-subject variability and dosimetric uncertainties were analyzed across multiple frequencies.<i>Main results.</i>The comparison between the two methods for head modeling demonstrated strong consistency, with differences in peak temperature rise of 7.6 ± 6.4%. The segmentation-free model showed reduced inter-subject variability, particularly at higher frequencies where superficial heating dominates. The maximum relative standard deviation in the inter-subject variability of heating factor was 15.0% at 3 GHz and decreased with increasing frequencies.<i>Significance.</i>This study highlights the advantages of segmentation-free deep-learning models for RF dosimetry, particularly in reducing inter-subject variability and improving computational efficiency. While the differences between the two models are relatively small compared to overall dosimetric uncertainty, segmentation-free models offer a promising approach for refining individual-specific exposure assessments. These findings contribute to improving the accuracy and consistency of human protection guidelines against RF electromagnetic field exposure.