Will my radiated breast show up on an airport scanner?

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kksmom3
kksmom3 Member Posts: 183
edited April 2019 in Radiation Therapy - Before, During, and After

I can't find anything under a search for this, but will it and will I be pulled aside or what? I already have airport/airplane anxiety and this isn't helping....... If I know what to expect, I can deal. For some reason, I always get the meanest airport agents while my husband breezes thru and looks on with impatience.......

I'll be fine if I know what to expect and all :0

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  • PurpleCat
    PurpleCat Member Posts: 358
    edited January 2019

    Zillions of people fly after having radiation. I think if having radiation created some sort of flag on airport scanners there would definitely be all sorts of stories under google searches and a lot more people getting pulled aside. I know how you feel, though; I get anxious in those lines too, and I'm great at inventing things for myself to worry about!

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  • CaliKelly
    CaliKelly Member Posts: 474
    edited January 2019

    i had the same fear when i had the tissue expander in, so what i did was ,go to the tsa agent and explain i had breast cancer and a weirdo device in one breast, didn't know how it would look in the scanner. She( luckily I got a female) first asked if I would be more comfortable getting a pat down, privately, I said no, just wanted them to know about the t.e. She put me in the VIP line! I went thru the scanner , no problem. I did that every time I flew, always treated great. The one time I didn't say anything, I got the full body pat down! I only have recon on 1 breast, maybe that looked odd in the scanner? Try just explaining your fears, they were super nice when I did

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  • ruthbru
    ruthbru Member Posts: 57,235
    edited January 2019

    no it won't show up on a scanner

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  • WC3
    WC3 Member Posts: 1,540
    edited January 2019

    The radiation from conventional rads is like light emitted from the machine. It does not travel with you.

    What will register on radiation detectors is the radioactive tracers from the bone scans because they are injected in to you and cause you to emit radiation until they decay in to something not radioactive or are excreted from your body.

    I was given a card to carry with me after my bone scan as proof I had a bone scan and was not smuggling radioactive material, should I happen to set off a detector.

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  • Beaverntx
    Beaverntx Member Posts: 3,183
    edited January 2019

    I traveled by air a few months after completing radiation, no problem with the scanners. As WC3 said, you are not carrying radiation around with you, so one less worry about flying!


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  • sweetp6217
    sweetp6217 Member Posts: 365
    edited April 2019

    Rad didn't show, but the port was of great interest to the TSA. No sweat heading west, but heading east, full pat down.

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  • illimae
    illimae Member Posts: 5,710
    edited April 2019

    No problems for me either but I always tell them I have a port. I flew a couple weeks ago back to Texas from Wisconsin and my only issue was the chuckles by TSA at the bags of cheese curds I was bringing back. No pat down but they did examine all my cheese, lol

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  • ShetlandPony
    ShetlandPony Member Posts: 4,924
    edited April 2019

    Lol, illimae. Now we all have to watch the I Love Lucy episode where she smuggles the cheese onto the airplane disguised as a babe in arms.

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  • Dani444
    Dani444 Member Posts: 522
    edited April 2019

    illiemae- That made me chuckle too!!

    I am glad for this thread. I am having anxiety about going through security when I travel in July. I absolutely fear a pat down. I will be wearing a sleeve and have an implant on one side. I still have an area that is painful to the touch and HATE to be touched in my numb areas. Hopefully I will just breeze through. I don't want to have an awkward breakdown:)

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  • Runrcrb
    Runrcrb Member Posts: 577
    edited April 2019

    i flew several times during chemo with a portacath in and never had a problem. I had a tissue expander for 15 months and flew regularly- no problem. I flew within weeks of ending radiation- no problem.

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  • GreenHarbor
    GreenHarbor Member Posts: 265
    edited April 2019

    Dani, I flew to Florida last month. I forgot to take my hoodie with pockets off before I went through the scanner (the one like a phone booth where you have to lift your arms up), so I was pulled aside for a pat down. Before the TSA agent patted me down, she explained exactly how and where she would touch me, and asked if any body parts were painful. You may not even need a pat down, but if you do, just be honest with the agent. Wishing safe and happy travels for anyone heading for a vacation!!

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  • Beesy_The_Other_One
    Beesy_The_Other_One Member Posts: 274
    edited April 2019

    I happened upon this thread about TSA one time--entitled "Outraged by TSA." Since I could remember the title, I found it very easily. There are some pretty comical comments if anyone is looking for a little levity.

    https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/82/topics...


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  • Hopeful82014
    Hopeful82014 Member Posts: 3,480
    edited April 2019

    Dani, consider waiting until after you go through security to put your sleeve on. Most of us arrive at the airport early enough that there's plenty of time to go through security, put your sleeve on and still have an hour+ before take off. If I have a connecting flight I leave it on. I've not had any issues with the sleeve or gauntlet. I hope that's the case for you, too. I know the first few times can be unsettling. (By all means tell TSA about your implant before screening.)

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