The SAINT® Protocol: 50 Sessions in 5 Days, Explained

The SAINT® protocol — Stanford Accelerated Intelligent Neuromodulation Therapy — is an accelerated form of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) developed at Stanford University and now delivered on the FDA-cleared Magnus Neuromodulation System. It compresses what is normally six to nine weeks of standard TMS into five consecutive days.

In a SAINT® week, you have 50 sessions of intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS): 10 sessions a day, each about 10 minutes long, with roughly 50-minute breaks between sessions. Before the week begins, a functional MRI (fMRI) scan identifies a personalized target in the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), and neuronavigation keeps the coil on that exact target every session.

SAINT® is FDA-cleared for adults with major depressive disorder (MDD) whose depression hasn't improved enough on prior antidepressant medication. Neuro Wellness TMS Centers of America (NWCOA) treats adults 22 and older. Individual results may vary.

The protocol has four parts: brain imaging, personalized targeting, the five-day treatment week, and follow-up. Here is what each involves.

• Brain imaging: You have a structural MRI (a detailed 3D map of your brain's anatomy) and a resting-state functional MRI (fMRI), which measures how different brain regions communicate while you lie still. No injections or dyes are involved.
• Personalized targeting: Magnus Medical's software analyzes your fMRI to find a precise spot in the left DLPFC — specifically, the point whose activity is most strongly anticorrelated with the subgenual anterior cingulate cortex (sgACC), a region involved in mood regulation.
• The treatment week: Over five consecutive days, you receive 10 sessions of iTBS per day. Each session is about 10 minutes of stimulation, followed by a 50-minute break. That adds up to about 50 sessions and roughly 90,000 magnetic pulses total.
• Follow-up: After the week, your clinician tracks your mood scores and coordinates any next steps with you and, if you have one, your referring provider.

The full SAINT® protocol is five consecutive days. Each treatment day involves 10 sessions spaced about 50 minutes apart, so a full day in the clinic runs several hours. You are awake throughout and can usually drive yourself to and from the clinic.

Compared with standard TMS — which typically runs 36 sessions over six to nine weeks — SAINT® compresses the entire course into one week. That is the main practical difference: far fewer trips to the clinic, and a much shorter window before you know whether the treatment is helping.

The SAINT® protocol and the Magnus Neuromodulation System are not separate things you can mix and match. The FDA clearance (510(k) K220177, September 2022) covers the protocol together with the Magnus system's targeting software. The personalized fMRI-guided targeting is part of what the FDA cleared.

That matters because some clinics offer 'SAINT-style' or 'fMRI-guided accelerated TMS' protocols that copy the schedule — 10 sessions a day, five days, iTBS — but do not use the FDA-cleared SAINT targeting system. They can copy the calendar, but the FDA-cleared targeting software and the outcome data from the SAINT trials do not transfer to those protocols. If a clinic cannot confirm it uses the Magnus SAINT Neuromodulation System, it is not delivering SAINT®.

SAINT® is FDA-cleared for adults with major depressive disorder whose depression hasn't improved enough on prior antidepressant medication. NWCOA treats adults 22 and older.

SAINT® is not cleared for anxiety, OCD, PTSD, bipolar disorder, concussion, or any condition other than MDD, and it is not for minors. It is also contraindicated for people with non-removable magnetic-sensitive metal in or near the head, certain implanted devices, or increased intracranial pressure. A consultation confirms whether SAINT® fits your history.

Eligibility is clinical — it depends on your diagnosis, your treatment history, and your medical screening, not on where you live. Check whether SAINT® is a fit.

SAINT® is delivered only on the Magnus Neuromodulation System by clinics verified by Magnus Medical. NWCOA is a Verified SAINT® Provider in Coral Springs, Florida. To find verified providers in other states, use the Magnus provider locator and our SAINT® TMS locations hub.

Because SAINT® takes only one week, many patients travel to a verified provider. If you are coming from out of state, see our travel guide for airports, lodging, and how the week works for travelers.

Learn more about SAINT® · See SAINT® cost and insurance · Check my insurance

The table below compares the SAINT® protocol with standard TMS so you can see the differences at a glance.

Understanding the protocol is the easy part. Knowing whether it fits your history is what a consultation is for. NWCOA is a Verified SAINT® Provider in Coral Springs, Florida, and we'll walk you through your scan, your treatment week, and what to expect — step by step.

You can start the free candidacy screener, check your insurance benefits, or learn more about SAINT®.