reply to post by TheLoneArcher
the paragraph below is taken from wikipedia. consider the wording regarding what type of radiation
is emitted/used.
A recent development is the controversial use of Full body scanners to detect hidden weapons and
explosives on passengers. These devices, which use Compton scattering, require that the passenger
stand close to a flat panel and produce a high resolution image.[4] There are misunderstandings
about how x-ray backscatter personnel scanners function, but they do use ionizing radiation and
the x-rays emitted from them penetrate skin as well as clothing. While the risk of cancer from
a single backscatter check is probably low, the cumulative risk of repeated exposure to radiation
is a threat to public health, especially for people working in the airline industry and frequent
travellers.
the 'probably' low risk kind of stands out to me.
also i zoomed in on the frequency of use and location in
a snippet below from drvxray.com/xray_exposure.htm within the context of medical scanners and
imo equally applicable to airport compton scattering devices.
It must be remembered, however, that many facilities are not fully leaded. Often, minimal lead
shielding is utilized which meets legal requirements but which does not fully prevent the transmission
of scatter radiation. The amount of legally required shielding depends on the exposure settings of
the radiographs which are produced, the radiographic workload during the week, distance from other
personnel work areas, the types of use expected from surrounding areas, and the construction materials
of the office. This evaluation would have to be made by a qualified radiation control specialist
because the doctor or technologist would likely have no way of knowing the precise but varying rules
for each given situation or measuring whether or not there was any transmission of scatter radiation.
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