Jazmin Li
Airport body scanners are used to detect potential threats, such as weapons or contraband hidden under clothing. While the primary purpose of these scanners is security, there have been instances where they have inadvertently detected health issues, such as cysts, hernias, and melanomas. The use of body scanners in airports has raised concerns about privacy and health risks associated with radiation exposure. However, the radiation doses emitted by the scanners are considered extremely low, and the potential health risks are generally believed to be trivial.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Can airport body scanners detect health issues? | In rare cases, airport body scanners have detected health issues such as nodular melanoma and cysts or hernias. |
| Type of scanner | Millimeter wave scanners emit low-energy waves and are considered safe. Backscatter X-ray scanners, which use ionizing radiation, have the potential to cause biological damage depending on the dose. |
| Privacy | Scanners generate generic images of a body and blur the face to protect the privacy of passengers. |
| Purpose | Scanners are designed to detect metallic and non-metallic threat items, such as weapons or contraband hidden under clothing. |
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What You'll Learn
- Airport body scanners use Advanced Imaging Technology (AIT)
- Scanners use millimetre wave or backscatter X-ray technology
- Scanners are designed to detect metallic and non-metallic items
- Scanners are safe and emit low levels of radiation
- Scanners can detect health issues like cysts, hernias, and melanomas
Airport body scanners use Advanced Imaging Technology (AIT)
Millimetre wave machines use non-ionizing radiofrequency waves to detect threats. The machine bounces the waves off the body and back to the machine. These machines are important because they can detect hidden threats such as guns and knives. They are also used to ensure privacy for passengers. Today's millimetre wave machines do not show nipples or genitalia, and they do not pick up size, weight, or height. Instead, they generate generic images of a body, with a box representing the area where the scanner detected something. If there are no threats, the screen simply shows a green screen with an "OK".
Millimetre wave machines are also used in Canada and the Netherlands. The first passive, non-radiating full-body screening camera device was developed by Lockheed Martin, and rights to this technology were later acquired by Brijot Imaging Systems. L-3 Communications (later L3Harris) also made enhancements to their scanner systems from 2006 to 2020, deploying thousands of units worldwide.
While body scanners are effective at spotting weapons, they are not infallible. The machines can malfunction, and they are cumbersome and expensive. Alternative screening methods are offered to those with medical or physical conditions that prevent them from undergoing a body scan.
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Scanners use millimetre wave or backscatter X-ray technology
Scanners use millimetre-wave or backscatter X-ray technology. Millimetre-wave scanners emit extremely low-energy waves, delivering a small fraction of the energy of a cell phone, and capture the reflected energy. The waves go through clothing and reflect off the passenger's skin and whatever else is concealed, bouncing back an image that is interpreted by the machine.
Backscatter X-ray scanners, the more common type in the US, utilize very low-dose X-rays, similar to those used in medical imaging. Unlike the millimetre-wave scanners, backscatter X-rays use ionizing radiation. The potential for ionizing radiation to cause damage depends on the dose. At low doses, radiation causes biological damage, but cells repair this damage rapidly. At moderate doses, cells can be changed permanently, becoming cancerous or leading to other abnormalities. At higher doses, serious health problems can arise. However, the doses of ionizing radiation emitted by backscatter X-ray scans are exceedingly low, and the risk for harm is considered trivial.
While the scanners are designed to detect metallic and non-metallic threat items, they have also been known to flag passengers with cysts or hernias for invasive security screenings to look for explosives. In one case, a passenger's nodular melanoma was detected by airport scanners, which repeatedly singled out an area on his left lower leg for a pat-down. This raises the possibility of using full-body imaging in the detection of melanomas, especially of the nodular subtype. However, in its current form, full-body scanning is likely not sensitive or specific enough to become a recommended screening tool.
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Scanners are designed to detect metallic and non-metallic items
Airport body scanners are designed to detect metallic and non-metallic items that could pose a security threat. These scanners use advanced imaging technology (AIT) and are known as millimetre-wave scanners. They detect metallic and non-metallic items by sending millimetre waves through a person's clothing, which then reflect off their skin and any concealed objects, creating an image that is interpreted by the machine.
Millimetre-wave scanners can identify objects made from a range of materials, including metal, plastic, ceramic, and organic compounds. They can detect items such as weapons, explosives, and drugs hidden under clothing or in body cavities. This technology is particularly useful for detecting non-metallic weapons and explosive components, which older security systems often struggled to identify.
Explosive detection systems (EDS) are another critical function of airport scanners. EDS identifies the molecular makeup of explosives by analysing how organic compounds absorb X-rays. This allows scanners to detect even trace amounts of explosives, ensuring that potential threats are identified.
Additionally, airport scanners are designed to flag liquids, gels, and aerosols that exceed certain volume limits. These items are scanned based on their chemical composition and containers to identify potential risks. With advancements in technology, modern scanners can detect a wider range of materials and threats than older systems, ensuring improved security and passenger safety.
While airport body scanners are primarily focused on detecting security threats, their ability to scan for metallic and non-metallic items highlights their versatility in ensuring a safe travel experience.
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Scanners are safe and emit low levels of radiation
While airport body scanners have been known to detect health issues such as cysts, hernias, and melanomas, concerns have been raised about the safety of the scanners themselves. The two types of full-body scanners in use at airports are millimeter wave scanners and backscatter x-ray scanners. Millimeter wave scanners emit extremely low-energy waves, delivering only a small fraction of the energy of a cell phone. Backscatter x-ray scanners, on the other hand, utilize very low doses of x-rays, similar to those used in medical imaging.
Despite their ability to detect health issues, some people worry that airport body scanners may expose them to dangerous rays. While it is true that backscatter x-ray scanners use ionizing radiation, which has the potential to cause biological damage, the doses emitted by these scanners are exceedingly low. So low, in fact, that it is unclear whether there is any potential for causing harm. The TSA considers the risk for harm trivial, and passengers should not fear going through the scans for health reasons.
Millimeter wave scanners, which are more commonly used, do not use ionizing radiation and are even safer than backscatter x-ray scanners. These scanners work by sending millimeter waves toward a passenger's insides, which reflect off the skin and bounce back an image that is interpreted by the machine. While these scanners do not expose passengers to radiation, they do raise privacy concerns as they can generate detailed outlines of the human body, revealing intimate body parts and personal items.
To address privacy concerns, the TSA has implemented several measures. These include blurring the images of the face, installing software to make the images less provocative, and using a generic body outline instead of a unique image of each passenger. As a result, TSA officers do not see a passenger's unique image unless an alarm is triggered. Overall, while airport body scanners have the potential to detect health issues, they are safe and emit very low levels of radiation.
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Scanners can detect health issues like cysts, hernias, and melanomas
Airport body scanners are designed to detect metallic and non-metallic items that may pose a threat to safety. However, they have also been found to detect certain health issues in passengers. Scanners can detect health issues like cysts, hernias, and melanomas.
Millimetre-wave scanners emit extremely low-energy waves, with each scan delivering a small fraction of the energy of a cell phone. These scanners are designed to detect metallic and non-metallic threat items and alert the TSO to these threats. The waves reflect off the passenger's skin and bounce back an image, which is then interpreted by the machine.
Backscatter X-ray scanners, the more common type in the US, utilize very low-dose X-rays, similar to those used in medical imaging. While these scanners are considered safe, there is a potential risk associated with ionizing radiation. At low doses, cells can repair biological damage caused by radiation. However, at moderate doses, cells can be permanently changed, leading to cancerous growths or other abnormalities.
In certain cases, passengers with cysts or hernias have been flagged for additional security screenings due to the bulge caused by these conditions. In one instance, a female traveller was flagged for a hidden explosive search due to a common skin cyst. Similarly, a man with a hernia was subjected to additional screening.
Additionally, airport body scanners have also detected nodular melanomas in some individuals. In one case, a businessman who frequently travelled had an area on his left lower leg repeatedly singled out for a pat-down. A dermatological examination revealed a nodular melanoma, which was surgically removed. While full-body scanning is not currently sensitive enough to become a recommended screening tool, it could provide incidental free screening for suspicious nodular lesions, prompting referrals to dermatologists.
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Frequently asked questions
Airport body scanners are not designed to detect health issues, but to identify contraband hidden under clothing. However, there have been rare instances of health issues such as nodular melanoma and hernias being detected by the scanners.
Airport body scanners use Advanced Imaging Technology (AIT) to perform full-body scans. Millimeter-wave scanners emit extremely low-energy waves, while backscatter X-ray scanners utilize very low doses of X-rays.
The safety of airport body scanners has been a subject of debate. While the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) considers the risk of harm trivial, some concerns have been raised about the potential for ionizing radiation from backscatter X-ray scanners to cause biological damage at moderate doses.
Yes, you can refuse to go through an airport body scanner. However, you should always be polite and avoid being aggressive or rude to TSA agents.
Airport body scanners can see through clothing and reflect off the passenger's skin and other concealed items. While they don't show nipples or genitalia, they can generate detailed outlines of the human body, including breasts, buttocks, and fat creases.
