medhead
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- Feb 13, 2008
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Re: No Pat Down option for Australian body scanners
There is just about no doubt about RF radiation. it causes heating in the body and the body is more than capable of dissipating the heat generated. I know that they increased the rating of EMF radiation last year, but it is now in the same risk category as things like talcum powder.
Risk is related to exposure. The x-ray scanners involve such a small exposure that it would be false to say they are not good for children or pregnant people; the risk is immeasurably small.
Actually, radiographers rarely wearing lead aprons, as they mainly operate the x-ray machine from a different room that has lead shielding in the walls. In the same way the x-ray scanners have shielding in built into their structure and hence radiation monitoring is not required for the operators. A key part of the annual compliance testing for this type of equipment (at least in Australia) is to test for leakage radiation. So the safety of operators is assured. Besides I've run my radiation monitor through the baggage x-ray at the airport once or twice and it basically registers nothing.
From what I know, the scanner being used are 'millimetre wave" scanners. Which use radio waves, as opposed to x-rays. But saying that, the frequencies are so high, the "jury is still out" about health concerns.
There is just about no doubt about RF radiation. it causes heating in the body and the body is more than capable of dissipating the heat generated. I know that they increased the rating of EMF radiation last year, but it is now in the same risk category as things like talcum powder.
Even the x-ray versions use d ifferent technology to standard x-ray machines, which basically penetrate the body to project to a film under the body part being x-rayed. The airport versions are a "back scatter" type in which the x-rays only penetrate abouty 10mm then are reflected back. Still not good for high risk individuals (children, pregnant females).
Risk is related to exposure. The x-ray scanners involve such a small exposure that it would be false to say they are not good for children or pregnant people; the risk is immeasurably small.
What is disturbing though, is that workers who use the back scatter machines on a daily basis in the US, were being denied "exposure badges" to warn them of accumulative dosages. Radiographers don't wear those big lead aprons for nothing.
Actually, radiographers rarely wearing lead aprons, as they mainly operate the x-ray machine from a different room that has lead shielding in the walls. In the same way the x-ray scanners have shielding in built into their structure and hence radiation monitoring is not required for the operators. A key part of the annual compliance testing for this type of equipment (at least in Australia) is to test for leakage radiation. So the safety of operators is assured. Besides I've run my radiation monitor through the baggage x-ray at the airport once or twice and it basically registers nothing.