(Jan. 20, 2010) Whole body imagining backscatter technology was created to enhance security in airports and other vulnerable areas, and can detect liquids, contraband, ceramics, explosives, narcotics, concealed currency and weapons. Whole Body Imaging Backscatter technology relies on a narrow, low intensity x-ray beam scanned over the body’s surface at high speed.

Product: Whole Body Imager — Backscatter scanning machine

Description and Applications: Whole Body Imaging Backscatter technology relies on a narrow, low intensity x-ray beam scanned over the body’s surface at high speed. The x-rays are reflected back from the body and other objects placed or carried on the body, where they are converted into a computer image of the subject and displayed on a remote monitor. Whole body imagining backscatter technology was created to enhance security in airports and other vulnerable areas, and can detect liquids, contraband, ceramics, explosives, narcotics, concealed currency and weapons.

Main Brands:
1) Rapiscan Systems: Rapiscan Secure 1000 Single Pose and Rapiscan Secure 1000
2) American Science and Engineering (AS&E): AS&E’s SmartCheck System

Radiation Description: X-ray photons hold 100 electronvolts to 1 megaelectronvolt energy, which is enough to penetrate dense materials, cause chemical damage to molecules, and knock particles out of atoms. Therefore, they produce ionizing radiation.

Radiation Dose: 10 microRem per scan or about 0.5% of a typical dental x-ray

Competing Technologies:

Whole Body Imaging Active Milimeter Wave Technology
Whole Body Imaging Passive Millimeter Wave Technology
Whole Body Imaging Dielectric Portal Technology

Health Concerns: Many believe that ionizing radiation poses a risk to human health.

Cost: Rapiscan Secure 1000 Single Pose: $130,000; Rapiscan Secure 1000: $200,000; AS&E’s SmartCheck system: $100,000

Detection Limitations: Any object beneath the skin, deeper than about 0.1 inch, would not be detected. Also, backscatter scanner can’t penetrate skin flaps and layers of thick fat and can’t find items stashed in a body cavity.

Public Resistance: Such organizations as Electronic Privacy Information Center, Friends Committee on National Legislation and American Civil Liberties Union oppose whole body scanners as an invasion of privacy.

Olena Loskutova, Energy Probe, January 20, 2010