Re:TSA Removes X-Ray Body Scanners From Major Airports
by stcredzero on Friday October 19, 2012 @07:45PM
(#4675831)
> When it comes to these sorts of insults, the skin is one of the most resilient organs.
Why do we think know that? Because of data from conventional X-rays that have a totally different geometric assumption. (Energy distributed throughout the body volume.) What we know of cancer at the level of mechanisms inside the cell suggests that the living part of skin that constantly divides to replace cells is more prone to cancer than other tissues.
> The FDA is notoriously risk-averse, but it has done studies on the safety of backscatter devices and concluded they're safe
The web page you pointed to just mentions "low dose" and compares the dose to "Naturally occurring ionizing radiation." Well, duh, I know this already. Most naturally occurring ionizing radiation deposits its energy evenly throughout the body. It doesn't address the new geometry of energy deposition. Show me one study that does! Show me one government document that does!
Again, it's "spherical cows" assumptions applied to public health! As a technically adept person, this should raise your suspicions! I'll grant you that the risk is probably low, but without more research into the same energy deposition geometry, you're handwaving public health.
Why do we think know that? Because of data from conventional X-rays that have a totally different geometric assumption. (Energy distributed throughout the body volume.) What we know of cancer at the level of mechanisms inside the cell suggests that the living part of skin that constantly divides to replace cells is more prone to cancer than other tissues.
> The FDA is notoriously risk-averse, but it has done studies on the safety of backscatter devices and concluded they're safe
The web page you pointed to just mentions "low dose" and compares the dose to "Naturally occurring ionizing radiation." Well, duh, I know this already. Most naturally occurring ionizing radiation deposits its energy evenly throughout the body. It doesn't address the new geometry of energy deposition. Show me one study that does! Show me one government document that does!
Again, it's "spherical cows" assumptions applied to public health! As a technically adept person, this should raise your suspicions! I'll grant you that the risk is probably low, but without more research into the same energy deposition geometry, you're handwaving public health.