CXR’s x-ray inspection systems are extremely safe and use only low-level x-ray sources. The equipment is designated Cabinet X-Ray by the FDA is permitted to emit no more than .5 milliroentgen per hour at any point five centimeters from the external surface. This is the same specification to which carry-on luggage x-ray inspection systems at airports are required to submit. CXR’s equipment is well within all required limits.
Do we need to worry about radiation?
Radiation exposure decreases by a factor of 2 for every additional inch away from the machine’s surface. (Formula = 1/distance squared) For example, if you stand 1 inch (approximately 5 centimeters) from the machine you will receive at most .5 MR/hour (.5 / 1 squared). If you stand 2 inches from the machine, you will receive at most .13 MR/hour (.5 / 6 squared) which is the same as normal, natural background radiation.
The FDA’s Radiation- Emitting Products FAQ page states the following:
“Manufacturers are required to certify that their products meet the Federal radiation safety performance standard for cabinet x-ray systems. Specifically, the standard requires that the radiation emitted from a cabinet x-ray system not exceed an exposure of 0.5 milliroentgens in one hour at any point five centimeters form the external surface. Most cabinet x-ray systems emit less than this limit. In addition, the standard also requires safety features that include warning lights, warning labels, and interlocks.
For comparison, the average person in the United States receives a dose of about 360 millirem of radiation per year from background radiation (Note: 1 milliroentgen of exposure to x-rays will result in approximately 1 millirem of dose.) Background radiation is radiation that is always present in the environment. Eighty percent of that exposure comes from natural sources: radon gas, the human body, outer space, rocks, and soil. The remaining 20 percent comes form man-made radiation sources, primarily medical x-rays.”