[ RadSafe ] Airport Body Scanners

[blreider at aol.com]

Ed & All, on the subject of the expected doses and how the machines work, here is a medical blog site I posted a while back so non-rad folks I know would have some perspective:  

http://casesblog.blogspot.com/2009/12/what-is-radiation-exposure-from-full.html

I read that Boston is the first airport to get these, after that a lot are going to western state airports.  

Perception Comments: Recently there were some really bad cases of CT scanners not being QAed correctly and giving people big doses.  This scares people (scares me too).   Not all rad programs are run well and not all rad levels are low.  If we are cavalier in the manner of discussion I think people who don't understand rad bio do not trust arguments about low doses not being harmful. After all, we all know there are links between radiation and negative effects such as death, cataracts, cancer, etc. at some levels.  

So you need to put the expected dose into some perspective - let's say one of these ridiculously invasive screening machines  goes horribly wrong, what is the worst dose you can get?  How does that compare to annual dose from background?  The person who wrote is afraid of multiple doses.  Remember Saturday Night Live with the explanation of a nuclear accident equivalent to getting an X-ray over and over and over again?  People need worst case explanations to help them understand.  

The issue of privacy is one that is not an HP issue but that does affect perception of the device.  It doesn't help that the gov said that the images can't be saved when everyone knows they are using a computer to do this work.   This sort of statement doesn't build trust.

OK that was all too political and will probably get me in hot water with you all so please excuse me, it is Sunday night and I think I shall go back to watching fashions on the Oscar runway.

Barbara Reider, CHP




-----Original Message-----
From: Ed Hiserodt <hise at sbcglobal.net>
To: radsafe at health.phys.iit.edu
Sent: Sun, Mar 7, 2010 11:36 am
Subject: [ RadSafe ] Airport Body Scanners


I recently received this email from a friend who thinks that I know
omething about radiation since I wrote a book on the beneficial effects of
LR.  Hey, when did writing on a subject and having any knowledge of it
ecome synonymous?   (Remember Al Gore?)  Anyway here is his question.  Any
omments on it would be appreciated.
 
"Regarding the virtual strip-search machines that will be appearing at
irports across the country, how much radiation do they actually release and
ow does this compare to the radiation we are normally exposed to anyway?
ow dangerous are these machines, if at all, for someone who does a lot of
lying?  I understand that there are two technologies the TSA uses to peer
hrough clothing:
 
"One uses millimeter waves - does this involve any radiation; is it
ompletely safe?
 
"The other is the backscatter X-ray."
 
Ed Hiserodt
Maumelle, AR
501 258 2571
 
 
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