The incident occurred on the afternoon of 18/7 at Nassau Open MRI in Westbury. The patient, wearing a large metal chain around his neck, entered the room while the MRI machine was running. The powerful magnetic field pulled him into the machine, causing severe injuries.

The victim was taken to the hospital with serious injuries and died later that afternoon. Police confirmed that the injuries sustained in the accident were the cause of death.

Safety regulations prohibit patients from wearing any metal objects during an MRI scan. Before the procedure, patients are typically required to change into clothing without metal and disclose any implants or metal materials in their bodies.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advises on its website: "Careful screening of people and objects going into the MRI environment is essential to ensuring that no one inadvertently brings anything that could become a projectile near the magnet,".

An MRI machine. Photo: TNS

An MRI machine. Photo: TNS

It is unclear whether the victim was a patient or a healthcare worker, and how he entered the MRI room while the machine was operating.

This is not the first incident involving an MRI machine and a metal object. In 2001, a 6-year-old boy in New York was killed when a metal oxygen tank was pulled into an MRI machine and struck him in the head. Since then, many medical facilities have tightened safety protocols for patients and staff entering MRI areas.

MRI machines use magnetic fields thousands of times stronger than the Earth's. Any metal object, including hair clips, jewelry, credit cards with magnetic stripes, or implanted medical devices like pacemakers, can pose serious dangers if not removed or carefully checked. Experts recommend regular training for medical staff, along with installing warning systems and strict access controls to MRI rooms to prevent similar tragedies.

Thuc Linh (NBS News)