Radiation from Airport Security Screening
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When flying in the United States or elsewhere, we are subject to airport security screening. Airport security screening in the United States includes the use of body-scanning units that release low levels of radiation.
How am I exposed to radiation from airport security screening?
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is using body-scanning units at a number of U.S. airports. These body-scanning units traditionally use millimeter-wave technology.
Body scanners using millimeter wave technology are being used in United States airports. Image credit: Transportation Security Administration
Millimeter-wave technology uses non-ionizing radiation in the form of low-level radio waves to scan a person’s body. A millimeter-wave body scanner uses two antennas that rotate around a person’s body to construct a 3-D image that resembles a fuzzy photo negative. The image is sent to a remote monitor. Millimeter-wave technology does not use x-rays and does not add to a person’s ionizing radiation dose.
For more information on non-ionizing radiation, click here
You may have heard that some airports previously used “backscatter” technology, which involved x-rays. Backscatter technology is no longer being used in U.S. airport security screenings.
What is the radiation risk from airport security scans?
As mentioned above, the United States uses millimeter-wave technology in airport security scans. This form of technology uses low-energy non-ionizing radiation that releases thousands of times less energy than a cell phone.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has federal authority to set standards for machines that produce radiation, including millimeter-wave security screening systems.
- Page last reviewed: December 7, 2015
- Page last updated: December 7, 2015
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