Pulse duration is defined as how long each pulse lasts.

Pulse duration is defined as how long each pulse lasts.

• A. The duration of the entire treatment.
• B. The duration of each pulse, in microseconds.
• C. The number of pulses per second.
• D. The ratio of on-time to total cycle.

Answer: (B)

Pulse duration is the width of a single pulse—the time the current is on for one pulse. This is typically expressed in microseconds and determines how much charge is delivered per pulse and which nerve fibers are activated. It is not the total treatment time (that’s how long the entire session lasts), nor the rate of pulses per second (that’s the frequency), nor the ratio of on-time to total cycle (the duty cycle). So the description “the duration of each pulse, in microseconds” is the precise definition.

Pulse duration is the width of a single pulse—the time the current is on for one pulse. This is typically expressed in microseconds and determines how much charge is delivered per pulse and which nerve fibers are activated. It is not the total treatment time (that’s how long the entire session lasts), nor the rate of pulses per second (that’s the frequency), nor the ratio of on-time to total cycle (the duty cycle). So the description “the duration of each pulse, in microseconds” is the precise definition.