A man has died after being violently pulled into an MRI machine in a rare and shocking accident at a medical facility in New York.
The 61-year-old suffered catastrophic injuries at Nassau Open MRI in Long Island on Wednesday afternoon and died the following day in hospital, according to police.
NBC New York reported that the man had entered the MRI room while a scan was underway, wearing a large metallic chain around his neck. The powerful magnetic force of the machine turned the chain into a “torpedo,” pulling the man off his feet and into the scanner.
The force of the impact caused what officials described as a “medical episode.” The man, who has not yet been publicly identified, was rushed to hospital in critical condition but died a day later.
It remains unclear whether the man was a patient at the facility or why he entered the room. One witness told CBS News that he had been warned to stay out but rushed in after hearing a relative screaming.
New York’s Department of Health said it is now reviewing the incident. In a statement, it said: “MRI facilities in NY are not regulated as part of diagnostic and treatment centers, so are therefore not subject to routine inspections.”
MRI machines use extremely strong magnetic fields that can attract metal objects with great force, making it dangerous to bring anything metallic near the equipment. Crucially, the magnetic field remains active at all times.
Dr Payal Sud, of North Shore University Hospital, told CBS: “The dangers [of not following protocol] could be catastrophic and it underscores why we have all the safety precautions in place. If this was a chain that was wrapped around the neck, I could imagine any kind of strangulation injuries that could happen. Asphyxiation, cervical spine injuries.”
Charles Winterfeldt, director of imaging services at North Shore, said: “It [the necklace] would act like a torpedo trying to get into the middle of the center of the magnet.”
MRI machines are known to pose additional dangers to those with oxygen tanks, wheelchairs, or magnetic jewellery. Patients are always instructed to remove all metal and electrical objects before entering the room for scanning.
While the machines carry strict safety protocols, experts say injuries and deaths caused by their magnetic pull are extremely rare.
