Overview

• The 61-year-old man entered the active MRI suite at Nassau Open MRI in Westbury while wearing a large ferromagnetic chain, which the powerful magnet drew into the scanner.
• He suffered a medical episode during the incident and remains hospitalized in critical condition with his identity withheld.
• The Nassau County Police Department homicide squad has opened an inquiry into access controls and procedural safeguards at the facility.
• MRI safety guidelines use a four-zone screening system to prevent unscreened individuals and metal objects from entering the magnet room.
• Experts warn that MRI magnets extend beyond the gantry and can turn any ferrous object into a high-velocity projectile if protocols are breached.