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Backscatter

Whole Body Imaging

How the technology works

• A narrow, low intensity X-ray beam is scanned over the body's surface at high speed
• The technology relies on the X-ray radiation that is reflected back from the body and other objects placed or carried on the body, where it is converted into a computer image, embedded with a modesty filter and displayed on a remote monitor

What to expect

• Passengers will walk up to the backscatter unit, assisted by a transportation security officer and remain still for several seconds while the technology creates an image of the body
• Images will be deleted immediately once viewed and will never be stored, transmitted or printed (the passenger imaging units have zero storage capability)

What TSA sees

• Backscatter technology is used with a modesty filter and the images a TSO will be reviewing - from a remote location - will look like this:
  
  

Detection

• Metallic and non-metallic objects are displayed, including all items that a passenger may be carrying on his/her person

Safety

• All of us are exposed to ionizing radiation – from sources such as the sun's rays – every single day of our lives
• For comparison, the X-ray dose received from the backscatter system is equivalent to the ambient radiation received in two minutes of airplane flight at altitude