Titanium and Ship Scanners

[KAYTWO]

Hi

Does anyone know or have experience as to whether the ship and airport scanners will go off if you have titanium implanted? :confused:

[Coralc]

Hi

Does anyone know or have experience as to whether the ship and airport scanners will go off if you have titanium implanted? :confused:

 

Strangely, sometimes they will and sometimes they won't. It must depend on the settings. I have 2 replacement hips, and I was very surprised to walk through without them going off...then I was very surprised at one port when we returned and they did.

 

So then I was wanded, and my hips beeped, and then they checked my shoes for explosives. This was coming back from a port stop where we had imbibed a bit. So we thought it was sort of humorous. :D:):D

 

But it did sort of hold up the line. :)

[KAYTWO]

Thanks. I had to have 3 vertebrae in my neck fused last year so was wondering if I should carry a doctors certificate as we will also be going through several airports on this trip as we'll.

 

 

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[NorbertsNiece]

I can't remember which airport.... but I was once taken to a side room having bleeped and then wanded. They were extremely polite and very kind but they checked I had scaring..... hip. Having been involved in London 2012 security this was one tactic which was open to us to employ. It's not one that has been repeated. I don't always bleep.

[cruzinlady1947]

I had an ankle replacement last year, and I haven't beeped yet. The first time, I told them about it, and they wanded me, but since then, I just walk through without any beeps. I haven't flown yet, so that might be different.

 

Gwen :)

[mommykim]

I have mostly had no issue at all with my ankle/leg. The one time I did beep they just wanded me. No one ever asks for a note though I did have one lady at the airport say wow after looking at my x-ray :D

[rummenroman]

Having a doctors note about the metal in your body won't make a difference as TSA agents won't know if it is forged or not. They will continue with their usual inspections, which may include pat downs or extra wanding.

[dmdicato]

I had 5 titanium screws implanted in my right foot back in 2005. We cruise annually and I've never been stopped.

[Kezzie62]

My replacement knee sets it off every time on the ship. At the airport I ask for the whole body scanner and that way I don't have to wait for a female officer to come pat me down. I never carry a letter from my doctors.

 

 

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[Realtor at Sea]

In my back I have two rods, an outrigger and eleven screws. They never have been detected except when I was scanned for a visit to the bridge on the Allure.

[mil76]

My FIL has two titanium shoulders and he beeps every time. He used to have a card that got him out of secondary screenings, but that all ended with 9-11. With it being shoulders they usually just wand him and send him on his way.

[cruze daddy]

Having 2 replacement knees, I set off EVERY scanner I go through. It has become a joke, and I immediately "assume the position" after going through. If I have shorts on, I will point to the scars on my knees....

 

I too have a card from my Dr. saying that I will likely set of scanners, I showed it the first time, but it made no difference, so I don't even bother any more.

 

I have never had a hard time getting through, they just use the hand wand to check me out, and sometimes pat me down.:rolleyes:

[vegasres]

I have two titanium hips, never beeped. However, I also have a port for chemotherapy, and that beeps every time. The wand takes care of that.

[Sunkissed Mommy]

My husband wears a Cochlear Implant which is made from both platinum and titanium among other things. It is implanted within his head. We've never experienced an airport or cruise port scanner or detector going off.

[lakelorain]

I have a titanium hip. Always beeps at airport and usually at the port checkpoint. Rarely(about 1 in 20) beeps at the on-board screening checkpoint.

[Gayle V]

Hubby has a titanium hip. The whole body scanner, the one where you have to pause and put your hands in the air, never causes a beep for him . If they have the other, older scanners that you walk through, they always beep.. Most times it just means a quick wave of their wand and we move along. A couple times, when they were short of help, we were delayed for as much as 10 minutes till they could get around to clearing him.

 

Actually the longest security delay we've ever had was due to an orthopedic foot and ankle boot, that I was wearing for a torn tendon. I offered to take the thing off, but they said no, and pulled me aside to run some tests. They took swabs of various parts of the brace, and tested them in a machine. I think it was supposed to detect explosives.

 

That held us up about 15 minutes. But it always seems to be the amount of workers they have that determines the delay, not so much what they need to do, once they get around to checking you.

 

Definitely worth giving yourself extra time when planning your arrival at the airport.

[Natitude61]

Metal in knees may or may not trigger alarm, depending on the machine setting, since the metal is near the skin. Replacement hips are far less likely except with machines at the highest settings, since the implant goes down into the femur while the metal cup is deep in the pelvis (deeper for some of us than others!). In either case, TSA will just laugh at the MD notes or ID cards made by implant manufacturers...just tell them you have an artificial joint and they'll do a quick pat down and send you on your way. If you have a choice, use the full body scanner instead of the metal detector...

 

 

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[Coralc]

Thanks. I had to have 3 vertebrae in my neck fused last year so was wondering if I should carry a doctors certificate as we will also be going through several airports on this trip as we'll.

 

 

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Apparently it depends on the amount of metal. If you haven't flown since the surgery, you may want to try the airport scanner, and see if it goes off.

 

If it does, at most airports in the US (that have them) you can request the full body scanner and it isn't a problem.

 

When using the metal detectors, I don't really like being stuck in the clear box, waiting for a female TSA agent and then having the invasive pat down, while my husband has to gather our things from the belt.

 

There isn't another option on the ship, but I don't think the detectors are (usually) as sensitive as at the airport. :)

[KAYTWO]

Thanks everyone for the replies. It seems like it is very hit and miss so I will just have to roll with it and expect to be held up. We'll I'm not in any hurry when on holidays anyway :)

 

 

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[Esmerelda]

I have flown several times since I had 6-7 screws put in my new ACL. I have set one off at the airport (can't recall which one) but never the port's scanner.

 

It's hit or miss, but mine have been mostly missed which makes me happy!

 

:D

[echokat]

I was beeped once because I had jewelry on. Since then I have never had issue. I have titanium hip and always remove all metal from my body.

[thephantomsgirl]

I have a titanium plate in my head. Haven't flown since it yet - but I have set off the scanner at the port once, and not the other two times.

[The Duke of Bethnal Green]

Having recently undergone a full knee replacement I have set off a few of the detectors but after a couple of months the scanners have either had their sensitivity reduced or the fat or tissue re growth now masks the implant. It was the same following a heart bypass. I really think its a sensitivity setting issue. We were on the IOS last week and I never set of any scanner alarms

 

 

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Edited April 7, 2014 by The Duke of Bethnal Green

[BillOh]

Hi

Does anyone know or have experience as to whether the ship and airport scanners will go off if you have titanium implanted? :confused:

 

 

I just had 2 rods and 6 screws implanted My surgeon said it won't. They will show up on the body scanners, so be prepared to explain them, though most TSAs while not medically trained see those things a lot.

 

 

Now off to read replies of people with actual experience. My experience is 25 days away!

[BillOh]

I can't remember which airport.... but I was once taken to a side room having bleeped and then wanded. They were extremely polite and very kind but they checked I had scaring..... hip. Having been involved in London 2012 security this was one tactic which was open to us to employ. It's not one that has been repeated. I don't always bleep.

 

I will be glad to show them my scarring. Being that it is my lower vertebrata, it would serve as a commentary as well.