An incident with an MRI machine left a 61-year-old man dead. The Nassau County Police Department in New York said the man was at Nassau Open MRI on Wednesday, July 16, when he entered an unauthorized room.
In that room, an MRI scan was in progress. Police said the man was wearing a large metallic chain around his neck. The chain was drawn into the machine, ultimately causing a medical episode for the man.
He was taken to the hospital but died the next day from his injuries. Homicide detectives are continuing to investigate the incident.
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A warning on the company’s website alerts patients of metal dangers.
“It is very important to let your physician know if you even suspect you may have any metal within your body, such as a pacemaker, surgical clips, joint bone clips, metal plates, un-removed bullets shrapnel, BB shots, cochlear implants, neurostimulators or implanted mechanical devices,” the website said. “These materials may interfere with the exam and could be contraindicated.”
The website also mentioned patients must remove any metal before entering the room, “such as a hearing aid, partial plate, dentures, jewelry or hair pins.”
This is not the first death as the result of metal in an MRI room. In 2001, CBS News reported that a 6-year-old boy died after he was hit by an oxygen tank during an MRI scan. The Valhalla, New York center said the tank was accidentally left in the room. The boy was hit in the head with the tank once the machine was switched on.
In 2023, a nurse became pinned between a hospital bed and an MRI machine in Redwood City, Ca. KTVU reported the nurse suffered severe cuts that required surgery. According to the media outlet, regulators point to systemic problems at the facility. They said the door to the MRI was left open, and a safety alarm never sounded.
