TSA scanner radiation deemed safe

US Transportation Security Administration announced the radiation doses emitted by security X-ray scanners equates to three to nine minutes of the radiation level received through normal daily living, and since flying itself increases one's exposure to ionizing radiation, the scan will reportedly contribute less than 1% of the dose travellers would receive from exposure to cosmic rays at elevated altitudes (Archives Internal Medicine/HealthDay News, 28-Mar-2011). The risk of cancer is reportedly extremely small, even for frequent flyers, and it has been concluded there is no significant radiation threat from the scans. The TSA operates 486 scanners in 78 US airports, with plans to have 1000 in use by the end of 2011. The scanners were introduced as a counter-terrorism tactic.