Overview

• On July 16 at Nassau Open MRI in Westbury, Keith McAllister, 61, was pulled into an active MRI scanner after entering the room wearing a 9 kg metal chain and remained trapped for nearly an hour before suffering fatal cardiac arrests
• The Nassau County Police Department and state health regulators have opened investigations into alleged breaches of pre-scan metal-screening protocols and technician oversight
• The McAllister family filed a medical negligence lawsuit against the clinic and launched a GoFundMe campaign to cover funeral expenses
• The FDA and National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering caution that MRI magnets generate forces strong enough to hurl ferromagnetic objects with potentially deadly impact
• Radiology specialists and safety advocates are urging implementation of mandatory metal detectors, stricter access controls and enhanced technician training to prevent similar tragedies