Tragic MRI Incident Claims Life of 61-Year-Old Man in NY

UPDATE: A man tragically lost his life after being pulled into an MRI machine while wearing a metal chain on July 16, 2023, at the Nassau Open MRI facility in Westbury, New York. The incident unfolded just after 4:30 p.m., when Keith McAllister, 61, was drawn into the machine’s powerful magnetic field.

His wife, Adrienne Jones-McAllister, was undergoing an MRI for her knee when she requested that Keith assist her afterward. Despite wearing a heavy metallic chain, which he typically used for weight training, Keith was allowed into the scanning room. In a horrifying turn of events, the MRI’s magnetic force violently yanked him towards the machine.

“We were just talking, and in that instant, the machine switched him around, pulled him in, and he hit the MRI,” Adrienne recounted in an interview with News 12 Long Island. Efforts to rescue him were futile, and he was declared dead two days later due to the severity of his injuries.

Authorities report that they received a 911 call about a man suffering a “medical episode” linked to the MRI machine. A physician at the hospital officially confirmed Keith’s passing shortly thereafter.

Adrienne revealed that this was not their first visit to the facility, nor was it the first time staff had seen Keith’s chain. “They had a conversation about it before, ‘Oh, that’s a big chain,’” she stated, expressing her disbelief over the incident.

MRI machines, while critical for diagnostics, pose serious risks due to their intense magnetic fields, which can attract metal objects with extreme force. The National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering warns that these magnets are “strong enough to fling a wheelchair across the room.” In regions like the UK and Ireland, strict safety protocols mandate that all metal items, including jewelry and watches, be removed before entering MRI suites.

Adrienne, grappling with the shock of losing her husband, described the moment: “He waved goodbye to me, and his whole body went limp. I’m still trying to wrap my head around the thing.”

The Nassau County Police Department has initiated an investigation into the circumstances surrounding this tragic event. As authorities seek to understand how such a catastrophic incident could occur, questions remain about the safety protocols in place at MRI facilities.

This shocking incident serves as a grim reminder of the potential dangers associated with MRI technology, underscoring the importance of stringent safety measures for patients. As the investigation unfolds, the couple’s community is left to mourn the loss of Keith McAllister, a husband and father taken far too soon.