UPDATE: A man tragically died after being pulled into an MRI machine while wearing a 9 kg weight-training chain around his neck at Nassau Open MRI in New York on Wednesday afternoon. His wife, Adrienne Jones-McAllister, recounts the horrifying moment before his body went limp, stating he waved goodbye as he was drawn into the machine.
The incident occurred during an MRI scan when Keith McAllister, aged 61, entered the room to assist his wife, who was undergoing a knee scan. As he approached her, the MRI’s powerful magnetic force unexpectedly pulled him in, causing immediate panic. “I said: ‘Could you turn off the machine, call 911, do something, Turn this damn thing off!'” Adrienne recalled, visibly shaken.
Despite attempts by the technician to free him, Keith was unable to escape the machine’s grip. “He waved goodbye to me and then his whole body went limp,” she said, fighting back tears. Following the incident, he suffered multiple heart attacks and was pronounced dead the next day.
Authorities from the Nassau County Police Department confirmed the details of the tragic event, emphasizing the dangers posed by MRI machines, which can exert powerful forces on metallic objects. The National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering warns that these machines are strong enough to “fling a wheelchair across the room.”
This incident serves as a stark reminder of the importance of safety protocols in medical environments, especially concerning the use of metallic objects near MRI machines. As investigations continue, the community mourns the loss of Keith McAllister, whose life was cut short in a preventable tragedy.
Stay tuned for further updates as authorities gather more information and consider what safety measures can be implemented to prevent future occurrences.
