On Wednesday, July 16th, 2025, at 4:34 PM, a 61-year-old man, who has yet to be identified by the police, was sucked into an MRI machine while a scan was underway. According to Nassau County Police Department, “The male victim was wearing a large metallic chain around his neck causing him to be drawn into the machine which resulted in a medical episode. The Nassau County Police Department responded to assist the aided where he was transported to a local area hospital. He is listed in critical condition.”
According to CBS News, “A witness at Nassau Open MRI on Old Country Road in Westbury told police the man defied orders to stay out of the MRI room after he heard the patient, his relative, screaming and got concerned. Doctors and staff at the prestigious North Shore University Hospital explained the dangers of magnetic resonance imaging if protocols are not followed to a T.” Typically when patients receive an MRI exam, they are asked to remove anything magnetic as the magnetic effects of the machine on metallic objects can prove dangerous and potentially fatal. The hospital’s director of imaging services stated that “It would act like a torpedo trying to get into the middle of the center of the magnet.”
According to the University of California, San Francisco, “The static magnetic field of the MRI system is exceptionally strong. A 1.5 T magnet generates a magnetic field that is approximately 21,000 greater than the earth’s natural field. In such an environment ferromagnetic metal objects can become airborne as projectiles. Small objects such as paper clips and hairpins have a terminal velocity of 40mph when pulled into a 1.5 T magnet and therefore pose a serious risk to the patient and anyone else in the scan room.” It is very clear how being drawn into an active MRI machine could prove deadly. Now, it’s unclear who the man is or if he recovers, however more information should be due to be released soon.
