Do TSA Scanners Use Radiation? What To Know Before You Fly

The Transportation Security Administration continues to implement new airport safety features meant to detect dangers before a flight. This includes both luggage scanning and full body scanners, which can be found across airports in the United States. These full body scanners were added to airport security after a passenger managed to smuggle explosives onto an airplane in 2009. A few years later, there were already 486 scanners in 78 airports across the United States — and it has continued to rapidly increase, like when the TSA was awarded $1.3 billion to add more scanners to airport checkpoints. This means that there's an increased chance of walking through a full body scanner when taking a flight, raising some concerns about the possibility of being exposed to radiation.

There are multiple types of scanning equipment being utilized at airports, including the backscatter scanner. This type of scanner uses low energy x-rays to create a very detailed outline of the passenger. The backscatter scanner uses ionizing radiation, which has led to some backlash from concerned passengers. Is it dangerous to get scanned by the backscatter full-body scanner at the airport?

Exposure to ionizing radiation can be damaging even at lower doses, according to the National Library of Medicine. Cells repair biological damage caused by low doses of radiation but moderate to high doses can permanently change cells, leading to cancer, serious health issues, and abnormalities. But the doses of ionizing radiation used by the backscatter scanner is "exceedingly low," the report states. The National Library of Medicine specified that the backscatter x-ray exposes travelers to 0.03–0.1 μSv per scan, which is the same radiation you'd get from three to nine minutes of usual activity. This is so low that it's not considered harmful by the TSA but some vulnerable individuals may consider this exposure risky. 

If you are still concerned about getting the backscatter scanner, you can request for a pat-down search instead. It's not required to walk through any of the TSA's screening equipment. TSA agents may try to encourage you to go through for everyone's safety (you never know what people are attempting to carry on these days), but they are required to honor your decision.