Sucked into and killed by MRI: He had a 9-kilo chain around his neck.

He entered the MRI room while it was open to help his wife, who had just had her knee examined, and was sucked into the machine and killed by a 20-pound chain and lock he wore around his neck and used for training. This happened to a 61-year-old man at the Nassau Open MRI in Westbury, New York. He entered the exam room without authorization, where the machine was still running, and was immediately sucked in. Despite the intervention of an attendant to free him, he sustained such serious injuries that he required immediate hospitalization, which resulted in his death the following day. The Nassau center declined to comment on the incident.

How the machine works

But how was this possible? In fact, the power of an MRI machine, which uses radiofrequency currents and magnetic fields to produce detailed anatomical images, is so powerful it can move a wheelchair across a room. This is why patients are asked to remove all metal objects, jewelry, piercings, hair clips, belts, glasses, watches, hearing aids, removable dentures, medical belts, and braces. Furthermore, cell phones, credit cards, or other magnetic cards cannot be brought into the machine, and it is recommended to wear clothing without snaps, zippers, or other metal parts. Furthermore, those who wear certain implants, particularly those containing iron, or prosthetics and pacemakers must inform their doctor, as in some cases the exam may be avoided. This is because anything metallic and ferromagnetic inside the machine can heat up and be attracted to the machine's magnet.

The precedents

This isn't the first time accidents involving MRI machines have occurred. In 2001, a 6-year-old boy in India died when an oxygen tank was sucked into the machine while he was undergoing an examination. Another child died in India in 2018 after entering the operating machine room with an oxygen tank. In 2023, a nurse in California was crushed against the machine by a hospital gurney pulled by the force of the machine. She didn't die, but was seriously injured and required surgery.