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Airport body scanners 'could
give you cancer', warns expert
By DAILY MAIL REPORTER
Last updated at 11:25 AM on 30th June 2010

Comments (89) Add to My Stories

Full body scanners at airports could increase your risk of skin cancer, experts warn.
The X-ray machines have been brought in at Manchester, Gatwick and Heathrow.
But scientists say radiation from the scanners has been underestimated and could be
particularly risky for children.
They say that the low level beam does deliver a small dose of radiation to the body but
because the beam concentrates on the skin - one of the most radiation-sensitive
organs of the human body - that dose may be up to 20 times higher than first
estimated.

   
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An airport staff member demonstrates a full body scan at Manchester Airport. skills appearance
Now a U.S expert has said the X-Ray may deliver a higher radiation dose to the
skin than first thought What do you think of
my six-pack? Duncan
Dr David Brenner, head of Columbia University's centre for radiological research, said
James looks pleased
although the danger posed to the individual passenger is 'very low', he is urging
with new physique on
researchers to carry out more  tests on the device to look at the way it affects specific 
the beach
groups who could be more sensitive to radiation.
He's holidaying in Bali
He says children and passengers with gene mutations - around one in 20 of the with old pal Tara P-T
population - are more at risk as they are less able to repair X-ray damage to their DNA.
Demure Gemma
Atkinson has a make-
Dr Brenner, who is originally from Liverpool but now works at the New York university,
under for premiere of
said: 'The individual risks associated with X-ray backscatter scanners are probably
Baseline
extremely small.
She's kept under wraps
'If all 800 million people who use airports every year were screened with  X-rays then the assets that kick-
the very small individual risk multiplied by the large number of  screened people might started her career
imply a potential public health or societal risk. The  population risk has the potential to 
be significant.' Not exactly a duck to
water: Kelly Brook
Following trials, the airport scanners were officially introduced at Manchester Airport in struggles to stay up on
January, at Heathrow Terminal 4 in February and at Gatwick in May this year. her water-skis
The most likely risk from the airport scanners is a common type of skin cancer called Maybe she should stick
basal cell carcinoma, according to the academic. to posing in a bikini

The cancer is usually curable and often occurs in the head and neck of  people aged 
between 50 and 70. He points out it would be difficult to hide a weapon on the head or That's just tattoo
neck so proposes missing out that part of the body from the scanning process. much, Kylie! Miss
'If there are increases in cancers as a result of irradiation of children,  they would most Minogue tries out an
likely appear some decades in the future. It would be prudent  not to scan the head  edgier persona
and neck,' he added. Wizened face, daggy hair
and podgy tum age her
He recently aired his concerns to  the Congressional Biomedical Caucus in the US - dramatically
members of Congress who meet to  exchange ideas on medical research. 
Dr Brenner urged them to look at his  concerns but said it was important to balance  'I don't recognise that
any health issues against  passengers' safety when flying.  woman any more':
Reformed Kerry Katona
He said: 'There really is no other technology around where we're planning  to X-ray apologises for shocking
such an enormous number of individuals. It's really unprecedented in  the radiation  behaviour on C4
world.' documentary
She wrote open letter

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The Civil Aviation Authority said the radiation received from the scanning process She's a Material Girl at 13
is the equivalent to two minutes radiation received on a Transatlantic flight promoting her own range
of clothes
The Civil Aviation Authority, Department for Transport and Health Protection Agency
insist that the technology is safe and say their tests show it  would take 5,000 trips
Plaster of Paris: Katy
through the scanner to equal the dose of a single chest X-ray.
Perry bares bandaged
They said in the climate of high security, it is essential that security staff use 'all leg as she recovers
means possible' to minimise risks to airline  security. from nasty accident
She had 17 stitches after
The CAA said: 'The device has been approved for use within the UK by the Department
dancing into a table at an
for Transport and has been subjected to risk  assessments from the Health Protection after party
Agency.
'To put the issue in perspective, the radiation received from the scanning process is Model behaviour from
the equivalent to two minutes radiation received on a Transatlantic flight. a sober Katie Price as
she drives herself home
'Recent press publications have been a little alarmist and may have heightened from hen night
concern in frequent travellers who may worry about their repeated exposure. She's due to have
'Under current regulations, up to 5,000 scans per person per year can be  conducted  wedding to Alex Reid
safely.' blessed on Saturday

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Newest Oldest Best rated Worst rated Lindsay Lohan pole

dances her way through
  View all shoot with photographer
who claimed to be her
The British government treats its population like animals - with these scanners, first
lesbian lover
they rob them of their basic dignity and then they threaten their health. These
Documentary of shoot
devices offer little or no protection against the determined and innovative terrorist -
aired in U.S. last night
you are being conned - you need to make it known that you will REFUSE to undergo
this potentially dangerous indignity.
15-luvvie: Ben Stiller
and Michael Caine are
Why do you think so many European airports haven't installed these scanners? It's
the perfect doubles act
because (a) they are useless and (b) the people won't tolerate being treated this
at Wimbledon
way. Sadly, the Brits will put up with anything on the illusory premise that it makes
They watched Roger
them safe. Wake up, Britain!
Federer lose on Centre
- Stu, Laholm, Sweden, 30/6/2010 16:15 Court today

Report abuse Click to rate     Rating   9

So someone has come out and stated they are dangerous,,,20 times more
radiation than previously thought,,,, allready scientists are saying it´s the same as 
having 70 chest x-rays,,,, What are they trying to do to the human body???? all you DISCOVER
here is Cancer, Cancer ,Cancer.... this will only cause more in the future, and all in
the cause of security blah blah blah.....BAN THEM HOW...
- Donovan, Norfolk England, 30/6/2010 13:08
Sign up for FREE when you
Report abuse Click to rate     Rating   21 buy a 3 month plan...
- C.Booth, UK, 29/6/2010 12:31
more
I don't think you really no much about radiation, do you?
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Even from alleged "British" residents.
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Report abuse Click to rate     Rating   8
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I thought these scanners used Microwaves not X rays ?
Airport body scanners deliver radiation dose 20
- jordan, solihull, 30/6/2010 09:40 times higher than first thought, warns expert
Report abuse Click to rate     Rating   4 My cruise on the Med has left me feeling sea
sick... for NINE years
Half of food targeted at toddlers is far too sweet,
"Get scanned or don't travel. Nuff said. - Pedro Santamaria, Granada. Spain,
finds study
30/6/2010 9:08"
Sue Holderness on her battle to beat alopecia: My
Another SHEEP of the "if you've got nothing to hide..." school. The problem is tha hair was falling out in handfuls. Could faddy diets
tthe State doesn't belive that you have nothing to hide and has no respect for our be to blame?
privacy. Instead it treats us as faceless numbers as with every other totalitarian Overdone the sun? Here's what you need to
nightmare. know to take the sting out of the lobster look
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WAR on US and our liberties, something that the left-wing fascists have been trying Lives destroyed by happy pills: As our use of
to achieve since ID cards were scapped in the fifties. antidepressants DOUBLES in a decade, experts
say thousands are being given dangerous drugs
The Terrorists WON, as soon as "New" Fascist Labour and their knee-jerk they don't need
"crackdowns" started spewing out of Downing Street. Soon it became a habit when How a bout of flu (and years in noisy nightclubs)
Blair/Brown/Harman/Blunkett/Straw/Balls realised the POWER it gave them. left Peter Stringfellow virtually deaf
Flesh-eating drug that relieves the misery of
Time for Cameron to SCRAP most of it.
clawed hands
- The Punisher, Darlington, ENGLAND, Are you sure it's hay fever? 10 people blamed
30/6/2010 09:18 grass pollen for their sniffles, but a simple allergy
test changed their lives
Report abuse Click to rate     Rating   7
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