US Man Wearing Metal Necklace Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine

Entered Room Without Authorization During Examination
"Metal Objects Are Invisible Bullets"
Consequences of Violating MRI Safety Guidelines

According to reports by ABC and NBC on July 18 (local time), a man in the United States died after being pulled toward an MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) machine due to its powerful magnetic force while wearing a metal necklace.

MRI machine installed in a hospital in Pittsburgh, USA. Photo by AP Yonhap News

The incident occurred on July 16 at the Nassau Open MRI Center on Long Island, New York. The 61-year-old man, identified as A, was accompanying a patient and was not scheduled for an examination himself. However, he entered the MRI examination room without authorization and was fatally injured after being pulled toward the machine with his metal necklace.

He was rushed to the hospital but died on July 17. Police have determined there is no suspicion of foul play and are investigating the incident as an accident.

Dr. Payal Sood, an emergency medicine specialist at North Shore University Hospital, explained, "If a metal chain like a necklace is suddenly pulled by the strong magnetic force of an MRI, it can strangle the neck or damage the cervical spine," adding, "It is only a matter of time before fatal injuries such as asphyxiation or fractures occur."

When operating, an MRI generates a strong magnetic field that can instantly attract nearby metal objects. For this reason, all metal accessories such as necklaces, watches, and earrings, as well as iron-containing implants, must be removed before the examination. Nevertheless, accidents continue to occur due to inadequate management, such as unauthorized access by people from outside the hospital.

In fact, this is not the first time a similar accident has occurred involving an MRI. In 2001, at Westchester Hospital in New York, a metal oxygen tank was brought into the MRI room, resulting in the death of a 6-year-old boy who was struck in the skull. In 2014, at a hospital in Mumbai, India, a hospital employee was trapped against the machine by a metal oxygen tank and remained stuck for over four hours before being rescued.

In 2023, in California, a hospital bed was pulled into an MRI machine during operation, causing a nurse to suffer a severe arm injury.

According to MRI safety guidelines, metal objects can act as "invisible bullets" due to the magnetic force, delivering fatal impacts to the human body. For this reason, they are strictly prohibited from being brought into the MRI room.