MRI Sucks Man to Death by Necklace

A routine medical procedure turned into a scene of unimaginable horror on Wednesday afternoon, [July 16, 2025], at Nassau Open MRI in Westbury, Long Island, when a 61-year-old man was fatally drawn into an active Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machine by the heavy metallic necklace he was wearing. The man, later identified as Keith McAllister, succumbed to his catastrophic injuries the following day, Thursday, [July 17, 2025], at a nearby hospital. This tragic incident serves as a grim reminder of the immense power of MRI machines and the critical importance of adhering to stringent safety protocols, particularly concerning ferromagnetic objects in the scanning environment.
The chain of events leading to Mr. McAllister's death began when he entered the MRI room while a scan was already in progress. While the exact circumstances of his entry remain under investigation, his wife, Adrienne Jones-McAllister, who was reportedly undergoing her own MRI scan at the time, recounted a harrowing scene. She told News 12 Long Island that she had called out for her husband to help her off the table. Despite warnings and the inherent danger, Mr. McAllister, who was wearing a substantial, approximately 20-pound (9kg) weight-training chain around his neck, entered the powerful magnetic field. The force exerted by the MRI machine on the ferromagnetic necklace was instantaneous and overwhelming.
The immediate impact was devastating. According to his wife's tearful account, the machine "snatched him around" and "pulled him in." The heavy necklace, transformed into a deadly projectile, caused severe injuries as Mr. McAllister was violently pulled towards the center of the magnet. Efforts by Mrs. Jones-McAllister and a technician to pull him free were futile against the immense magnetic force. His wife described the terrifying moment he "went limp in my arms" and her desperate pleas for someone to "turn off the machine, call 911, do something, Turn this damn thing off!" Medical experts later explained that such a metallic object, in the presence of an active MRI magnet, would act "like a torpedo," capable of causing strangulation, asphyxiation, and severe cervical spine injuries.
Emergency services were immediately dispatched to the Nassau Open MRI facility following a 911 call at approximately 4:34 p.m. Paramedics worked to stabilize Mr. McAllister, who had suffered multiple heart attacks after being extricated from the machine. He was rushed to a local hospital in critical condition, where, despite the best efforts of medical staff, he ultimately succumbed to his injuries the following afternoon. The Nassau County Police Department launched an immediate investigation into the incident, confirming that the "large metallic chain around his neck caused him to be drawn into the machine, which resulted in a medical episode." While the investigation is ongoing, authorities are examining how Mr. McAllister gained access to the active MRI room while wearing such a significant metallic object.
This fatal accident underscores long-standing warnings about the dangers of metal in MRI environments. MRI machines utilize incredibly powerful magnetic fields, exponentially stronger than the Earth's natural magnetic field. These fields are designed to align the hydrogen atoms in the body to create detailed images, but they exert immense force on ferromagnetic materials (like iron and certain steels). Even small metallic objects, such as hairpins or paper clips, can become dangerous projectiles, while larger items like oxygen tanks or, in this tragic case, a heavy metallic necklace, pose an extreme risk. Patients undergoing MRI scans are always extensively screened for metallic implants, piercings, and jewelry, and are required to remove all such items before entering the scanning room.
The incident has also brought to light regulatory gaps in New York State. The New York Department of Health released a statement acknowledging that "MRI facilities in NY are not regulated as part of diagnostic and treatment centers, so are therefore not subject to routine inspections." This revelation has sparked immediate concern and calls for a review of oversight mechanisms to ensure patient and public safety in these facilities. While fatal MRI accidents are rare, they are not unprecedented, with previous incidents involving oxygen tanks or other ferromagnetic objects being pulled into the powerful magnets. This tragedy at Nassau Open MRI serves as a stark and urgent reminder of the life-threatening hazards associated with magnetic resonance imaging when safety protocols are overlooked or disregarded, prompting a renewed focus on ensuring such devastating events are prevented in the future.
Source@BBC