WESTBURY, New York — A man was magnetically pulled into an MRI machine while wearing a metal chain in Nassau County, New York on Wednesday.
The incident occurred at Nassau Open MRI, where detectives report that the 61-year-old man entered an MRI room during an active scan and was subsequently pulled into the machine.
Officials say the incident caused a medical episode and the man was rushed to a local hospital in critical condition.
Nassau County Police say that the victim was not a patient and was there with someone else.
The investigation is ongoing, but police say there is no criminality involved and it appears to be an accident.
Nassau Open MRI, which has several other locations, offers both open and closed scans.
Medical staff at the nearby North Shore University Hospital expressed their astonishment, emphasizing that strict safety protocols should prevent metal objects from being drawn in.
“If this were a chain around the neck, I could foresee any strangulation injuries, asphyxiation, cervical spine damages if the individual is thrown against the MRI. You know, any kind of blunt force trauma conceivable could occur,” said Dr. Payal Sud, an emergency medicine specialist.
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