Pittsburgh International to debut body scans at all checkpoints

The move isn’t related to bomb threats investigated Friday at airports in the United States, England and Dubai.

“It’s a more advanced and secure way to detect threats,” Transportation Security Administration spokeswoman Ann Davis said.

Pittsburgh received five body scanners this summer, valued at $170,000 apiece. They produce a two-sided image of a person’s body that resembles a chalk etching, with blurred facial features. In response to privacy concerns, TSA officers dealing directly with passengers don’t see scanned images; those who view images sit in a room with frosted glass so they can’t see passengers.

Davis said passengers will have the option of refusing body-scanner screening, as they do now. Those passengers would be required to undergo alternate screening that includes a pat-down search.