Radiation therapy traces set off radiation monitors at airports
Hundreds of thousands of patients in the United States and Europe – and millions around the world – receive radiation therapy for various ailments, and nuclear material are also widely used for diagnostic purposes; trouble is, these procedure leave radiation traces in the body for weeks, and these traces set off sensitive nuclear detection systems at airports
Here is a new problem: Security screening systems in U.S. airports have been set off by people who fly within weeks of receiving radiation therapy treatments. The problem has appeared in other countries as well, especially as countries add more sensitive radiation monitors to their security systems.
According to the British Medical Journal, an American man was interrogated and strip-searched as puzzled security personnel tried to understand whether or not the man was a safety risk. Eventually, the American was released, but according to the BBC, each year 10,000 people in the United Kingdom are treated with radioiodine for thyroid problems, and increasing numbers of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, including some lung, heart, and bone scans, use radioactive particles. One hospital in Birmingham has begun issuing a radionuclide card explaining the risk of persisting radioactivity following such treatment, to help patients avoid embarrassing mistakes and mix-ups.
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