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USA Today
24-07-2025
- Health
- 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@
Time of India
22-07-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Man gets sucked in MRI machine due to his metallic chain: Precautions one should take while going for ultrasound, X-Ray, MRI and CT scan
MRI Scan machineRepresentative image Sometimes life is stranger than fiction and a recent incident wherein a man lost his life due to a medical mishap is one such incident. According to reports, in a bizarre turn of events, a man died after he was sucked into an MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) machine due to a metallic chain he was wearing while he was at a medical facility in Westbury, on New York's Long Island. The tragic incident happened when the man entered the MRI room without permission, while his wife was undergoing a knee scan. According to a statement by the Nassau County Police Department, reported by BBC, the man walked into the MRI room without permission while still wearing a heavy metal chain around his neck. The powerful magnetic force of the MRI machine pulled him in, leading to his sudden death. The victim's wife, Adrienne Jones-McAllister, explained that she had asked her husband to come inside and help her get up after her MRI knee scan. Unfortunately, he was wearing a 9-kilogram metal chain with a lock, commonly used for weight training, which triggered the tragic accident. Adrienne emotionally shared with CNN, 'At that instant, the machine switched him around, pulled him in, and he hit the MRI.' She added, 'He went limp in my arms.' Despite desperate efforts by the MRI technician to pull him away, the powerful magnetic force was too strong. Adrienne recalled pleading, 'Could you turn off the machine? Call 911. Do something. Turn this damn thing off!' This heartbreaking event highlights the extreme dangers of bringing metal objects into MRI rooms. Here we list some precautions you should take before undergoing ultrasound, X-Ray, MRI, and CT scan: 1. Precautions to take before undergoing ultrasound Ultrasound uses sound waves to create images of internal organs. It is considered very safe as it does not involve radiation. However, there are still basic precautions to follow: - Follow fasting instructions: For abdominal ultrasounds, doctors often recommend fasting for 6-8 hours. This reduces gas in the intestines, giving clearer images. - Full bladder requirement: For pelvic or pregnancy ultrasounds, a full bladder may be required to enhance image quality. Follow your doctor's guidance about drinking water before the test. - Avoid lotions or creams: Do not apply lotions or powders on the area being examined, as they can interfere with the ultrasound waves. 2. X-Ray precautions X-rays use a small amount of ionizing radiation to capture images of bones and organs. The exposure is minimal but requires care. - Inform if pregnant: X-rays are generally avoided during pregnancy unless absolutely necessary, as radiation can affect the fetus. - Remove metal objects: Metallic items like jewellery, belts, or clothing with zippers should be removed before undergoing an X-Ray as metal can distort the image. - Minimal exposure: Always ensure the procedure is justified by a doctor to avoid unnecessary exposure to harmful radiation. 3. MRI precautions MRI uses powerful magnets and radio waves to produce detailed images. Though it doesn't use radiation, it comes with its own risks. - Metal screening: Remove all metal objects. People with pacemakers, cochlear implants, or certain metal implants must inform the technician, as the magnetic field can interfere with these devices. - Claustrophobia onsideration: MRI machines are enclosed spaces. And so, if you have claustrophobia, do inform your doctor and technician before hand. In such cases, sedation or open MRI options may be considered. - Stay still: Movement can blur images, so staying completely still is crucial for accurate results. 4. CT scan precautions CT scans use X-rays to produce cross-sectional images and involve higher radiation doses than standard X-rays. - Contrast dye allergy: Inform your doctor if you have allergies, especially to iodine-based dyes, which are often used in CT scans. - Hydrate well: Drink plenty of water before and after the scan to help flush out contrast dye. - Avoid if you are pregnant: Like X-rays, CT scans are avoided during pregnancy unless absolutely essential.
Sydney Morning Herald
22-07-2025
- Health
- Sydney Morning Herald
‘Turn this damn thing off': Wife recalls fatal moment husband was sucked into MRI machine
Westbury, New York: The widow of a man killed when he was sucked into an MRI machine by his nine-kilogram neck chain says she called out to him to help her off the table after she underwent a scan, and the technician summoned him into the room. Keith McAllister, 61, died on Thursday, one day after he entered the treatment room at Nassau Open MRI to help his wife, Adrienne Jones-McAllister, off the table after she had undergone an MRI scan on her knee. When he entered the room, the machine's strong magnetic force drew him in by the metallic weight-training chain he was wearing around his neck, according to a release from the Nassau County Police Department. Jones-McAllister told local television outlet News 12 Long Island her husband's chain had prompted a casual conversation during a previous visit to the facility, with comments like: 'Ooooooh, that's a big chain!' She said as her husband got close to her in the room 'the machine switched him around, pulled him in and he hit the MRI'. 'I said: 'Could you turn off the machine, call 911, do something, turn this damn thing off!'' she recalled, as tears ran down her face. 'He went limp in my arms.' She said the technician helped her try to pull her husband off the machine, but it was impossible. 'He waved goodbye to me and then his whole body went limp.'
The Age
22-07-2025
- Health
- The Age
‘Turn this damn thing off': Wife recalls fatal moment husband was sucked into MRI machine
Westbury, New York: The widow of a man killed when he was sucked into an MRI machine by his nine-kilogram neck chain says she called out to him to help her off the table after she underwent a scan, and the technician summoned him into the room. Keith McAllister, 61, died on Thursday, one day after he entered the treatment room at Nassau Open MRI to help his wife, Adrienne Jones-McAllister, off the table after she had undergone an MRI scan on her knee. When he entered the room, the machine's strong magnetic force drew him in by the metallic weight-training chain he was wearing around his neck, according to a release from the Nassau County Police Department. Jones-McAllister told local television outlet News 12 Long Island her husband's chain had prompted a casual conversation during a previous visit to the facility, with comments like: 'Ooooooh, that's a big chain!' She said as her husband got close to her in the room 'the machine switched him around, pulled him in and he hit the MRI'. 'I said: 'Could you turn off the machine, call 911, do something, turn this damn thing off!'' she recalled, as tears ran down her face. 'He went limp in my arms.' She said the technician helped her try to pull her husband off the machine, but it was impossible. 'He waved goodbye to me and then his whole body went limp.'
NDTV
21-07-2025
- Health
- NDTV
Man, 61, Dies After MRI Machine Pulls Him Inside. He Was Wearing 9 kg Chain
A 61-year-old man died after being pulled into an active MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) machine at a medical facility due to a heavy metallic chain he was wearing. The tragic incident occurred at Nassau Open MRI in Westbury, on New York's Long Island. Keith entered the MRI room without permission when his wife was undergoing a knee scan, said the Nassau County Police Department, BBC reported. "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 department said in a statement. The victim's wife, Adrienne Jones-McAllister, said she was undergoing an MRI scan on her knee and asked her husband to come in and help her get up after the procedure. Her husband was wearing a 9 kg metal chain with a lock, which he used for weight training. Charles Winterfeldt, the hospital's director of imaging services, told CBS News, "It would act like a torpedo trying to get into the middle of the centre of the magnet." "At that instant, the machine switched him around, pulled him in, and he hit the MRI," she told CNN, adding, "He went limp in my arms." She said the technician tried to pull him away, but his efforts went in vain. She said, "I'm saying, 'Could you turn off the machine? Call 911. Do something. Turn this damn thing off!'" Jones-McAllister said the chain her husband was wearing wasn't new to the staff. The couple had discussed it with the MRI technician during earlier visits. "That was not the first time that guy has seen that chain on her husband. They had a conversation about it before." Dr Payal Sud told CBS News, "The dangers could be catastrophic, and it underscores why we have all the safety precautions in place." The magnetic fields in the MRI machines attract objects such as keys, mobile phones and even oxygen tanks. This may cause damage to the scanner or even injure the "patient or medical professionals", according to the US Food and Drug Administration.
