Man dies after being pulled into an MRI by a metal chain he wore, police say
The 61-year-old died Thursday, a day after Nassau County police said he was pulled into the MRI machine at Nassau Open MRI in Westbury, New York, on Long Island. The victim was wearing 'a large metallic chain around his neck causing him to be drawn into the machine,' prompting an unspecified 'medical episode,' police said in a news release.
The man's entry to the room 'while the scan was in progress' was not authorized, police said.
He was taken to a hospital in critical condition before he was declared dead the following day. The investigation is ongoing, police said.
Police have not identified the victim, but CNN affiliate News 12 Long Island reported his name was Keith McAllister, according to his wife, Adrienne Jones-McAllister. She told the station she was the one undergoing the MRI.
'He went limp in my arms,' Jones-McAllister said through tears.
A person who answered the phone at Nassau Open MRI on Sunday said it had no comment.
Used often for disease detection and diagnosis, MRI stands for Magnetic Resonance Imaging, according to the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering. The technology relies in part on powerful magnets to stimulate protons within a patient, who is placed inside the machine, allowing doctors to capture detailed images of the patient's anatomy.
That strong magnetic field, however, emanates beyond the MRI machine, posing a threat to those who might be wearing metallic objects or have them implanted. The magnets exert 'very powerful forces on objects of iron, some steels, and other magnetizable objects,' the scientific institute notes, with enough strength 'to fling a wheelchair across the room.'
'Turn this damn thing off!'
Jones-McAllister was getting an MRI on her knee, she told News 12, and needed help getting up afterwards. She said she asked the MRI technician to retrieve her husband for assistance.
'I yelled out Keith's name, 'Keith, Keith, come help me up,'' Jones-McAllister said. According to News 12, Jones-McAllister said her husband was wearing around his neck a 20-pound chain with a large lock he used for weight training.
'At that instant, the machine switched him around, pulled him in, and he hit the MRI,' Jones-McAllister said. She said she and the technician tried to pry her husband away from the machine.
'I'm saying, 'Could you turn off the machine? Call 911. Do something. Turn this damn thing off!''
Accident underscores risks
Because of the risks posed by an MRI machine's magnetic field, patients are urged to notify their doctors about any medical implants prior to an MRI, in case they contain any metallic materials. Pacemakers, insulin pumps and cochlear implants are all examples of implants that the NIBIB says should under no circumstances enter an MRI machine.
But items outside the machine pose risks as well, as last week's tragedy in Westbury demonstrated. Anything magnetic – from something as small as keys, to something as large (or larger) than an oxygen tank – can become a projectile, threatening the safety of anyone nearby.
'Metal in a room that has the magnet will fly across the room to the scanner, to this large magnet, and will really hit anything in its way,' Dr. Rebecca Smith-Bindman, a radiologist, told CNN in 2011.
'So within radiology training, one learns very early that that's not OK, that you can't have external metal in the room, and you can't have metal in the patient,' she said. 'That could lead to a problem.'
These accidents have happened in the past: In 2001, a 6-year-old boy was killed during an MRI at a hospital in Valhalla, New York, after a metal oxygen tank flew across the room when the machine's electromagnet turned on.
The magnetized tank struck the child, who died of blunt force trauma injuries.
These events are rare, according to the US Food and Drug Administration. Still, '(c)areful screening of people and objects entering the MR environment is critical to ensure nothing enters the magnet area that may become a projectile,' the agency says.
Solve the daily Crossword
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


NBC News
10 hours ago
- NBC News
Woman seen in Coldplay kiss cam video resigns from Astronomer
The woman seen in the now-viral video of a couple attempting to hide after being featured on a giant "kiss cam" screen at a Coldplay concert last week has resigned from her position at Astronomer. Kristin Cabot resigned from the data company, it said in a statement Thursday. The company confirmed Cabot was the woman seen in teh Cabot did not respond to a request for comment. It was not clear what position she held at the company, but an archived version of Astronomer's website lists her as its chief people officer. Cabot was identified by online users as the woman in the viral video. Online users identified both her and Astronomer CEO Andy Byron as being in the video. The company on Saturday said Byron had resigned. Cabot and Byron catapulted to international fame last week after Chris Martin, the lead singer of Coldplay, called them out for hiding their faces once they were caught on a kiss camera during a show in Massachusetts, hypothesizing that they were either shy or might have been having an affair. A video of the moment made rounds online and went viral on social media platforms X and TikTok. Internet sleuths almost immediatelyidentified the man and woman in the clip. On Friday, Astronomer, a New York-based data company, said its CEO had been placed on leave and that it was investigating the viral moment. Byron's resignation followed


New York Times
14 hours ago
- New York Times
How to Prevent and Treat Hair Loss
Hair loss is frustratingly common, affecting more than 80 million people in the United States alone. Multiple factors — including stress, genetics, diet and lifestyle — can disrupt your hair's natural growth cycle and trigger inflammation and irritation, all of which can compromise the follicles' integrity. While certain types of hair loss (such as scarring alopecia) can be permanent, many are not. Here, a comprehensive guide to addressing breakage and thinning, with advice from the experts. Check in With Your Dermatologist A doctor will help you narrow down which type of hair loss you're dealing with. 'More than 50 percent of the time, we can nail the diagnosis based on the patient's health history and examining the scalp and hair,' says Angela Lamb, a New York-based dermatologist. From there, you can discuss whether medications make sense for you. Minoxidil, a topical or oral treatment, is often the first line of defense for androgenetic alopecia hair loss (caused by aging, genetics and hormones), while telogen effluvium (brought on by stressors like sickness or a life change) are typically resolved by managing your triggers. Get Your Scalp in Shape For most types of hair loss and thinning, proper care starts at the scalp. These are some of the most effective professional and at-home treatments that can help with issues like inflammation or irritation: Platelet-rich plasma therapy involves a medical professional injecting a concentrated version of your own blood into your scalp, to potentially stimulate dormant follicles. PRP tends to be best for androgenetic alopecia, says Lamb, but can sometimes also speed up recovery from stress-related hair loss. Near-infrared lasers can reduce inflammation and spur activity in the follicles, slowing hair loss and improving hair quality after a few months. You can use either a head cap or a hand-held comb at home two to three times a week for eight to 20 minutes per session. Consistency is key with these devices, and the Boston-based dermatologist Maryanne Makredes Senna notes that combs are easier to maneuver. F.D.A.-approved models include Hairmax's Ultima Classic LaserComb and Theradome's Pro LH80. Microneedling the scalp triggers a wound-healing response, which can encourage hair growth. It also enhances the absorption of other ingredients like minoxidil or PRP. Though you can find at-home microneedling tools (such as dermarollers or dermapens), the professional-level devices used by dermatologists have longer needles for better results. Whether or not you try in-office therapies, practice good scalp care: Don't overwash your hair (one to three times a week is generally best, depending on your hair type), go light with styling products at your roots to avoid buildup and run any major changes to your scalp health (such as redness, flakes or irritation) by your doctor. Be Cautious of Supplements Certain deficiencies — such as in vitamin D, iron and protein — can stunt hair growth. But before stocking up on supplements, talk to your doctor; most adults can get adequate nutrients through their diet or a daily multivitamin, according to Lamb. Be wary of ultra-potent supplements marketed specifically for hair loss, which are unregulated and potentially harmful. 'High doses of biotin can disrupt thyroid levels, for example, and high doses of B vitamins can cause acne,' says Lamb. Focus instead on reducing stress and chronic inflammation, common triggers that, if left unchecked, can accelerate hair loss. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.


USA Today
15 hours ago
- USA Today
Family of man sucked into MRI machine speaks on 'heartbreaking incident'
"He was a friend to many," Keith McAllister's stepdaughter said. The family of a man who died after being sucked into an MRI machine by a large metallic chain around his neck has spoken out. Keith McAllister, 61, was "tragically killed" on July 16 when he went to visit a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) medical facility in Westbury, New York, according to the Nassau County Police Department and a GoFundMe started by the man's family. McAllister succumbed to his injuries at a local hospital on July 17 at 2:36 p.m., according to police. Family issues statement on tragic incident The McAllister family's attorney, Michael Lauterborn, shared a statement with USA TODAY on Thursday, July 24. "The McAllister family and their friends are deeply saddened by the tragic loss of Mr. Keith McAllister, who passed away following a preventable incident at Nassau Open MRI in Westbury, New York," the statement reads. "We ask the public and friends to keep Mr. McAllister's wife, Adrienne Jones-McAllister, and the entire family in their thoughts and prayers during this profoundly difficult time. The family is truly grateful for the outpouring of heartfelt condolences received from the community and from across the country." According to the family's statement, they and their attorneys are "ensuring that all facts surrounding this incident" are being investigated by police and the New York State Department of Health. "This heartbreaking incident highlights the critical importance of safety protocols in medical imaging facilities," the statement continues. "The family and our legal team are dedicated to assisting the appropriate authorities in their investigation and in efforts to ensure accountability and prevent similar tragedies in the future." Who was Keith McAllister? The GoFundMe created by McAllister's stepdaughter, Samantha Bodden, says he was "a husband, a father, a stepfather, a grandfather, a brother and an uncle." "He was a friend to many," Bodden wrote on the fundraiser page. According to Bodden, her mother was lying on the table for the MRI when the technician left the room to get McAllister to help get her up. During this moment, the technician allegedly forgot to tell McAllister to remove the chain around his neck, his stepdaughter wrote. "My mother and the tech tried for several minutes to release him before the police were called," Bodden wrote. "He was attached to the machine for almost an hour before they could release the chain from the machine." McAllister died after suffering several heart attacks following the incident, according to his stepdaughter. Now, the family is asking for donations to bury him, she added. As of Thursday, July 24, the family has received over $11,000 in donations, only about a $1,000 shy of the GoFundMe's goal of $12,000. Adrienne Jones-McAllister saw MRI machine 'snatch' husband McAllister's wife, Adrienne Jones-McAllister, told News 12 Long Island that she recalled her husband walking toward the MRI table and seeing the machine "snatch him." "He went limp in my arms, and this is still pulsating in my brain," she said, per the TV station. Jones-McAllister said she had an MRI on her knee and needed help getting up from the table, according to News 12 Long Island. Her husband came into the room wearing the 20-pound chain that he wears for weight training purposes, she told the TV station. "That was not the first time that guy has seen that chain. They had a conversation about it before," Jones-McAllister said about the MRI technician's prior knowledge of her husband's chain. Contributing: Natalie Neysa Alund and Mike Snider, USA TODAY Jonathan Limehouse covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach him at JLimehouse@