Killed by a MRI machine

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ChocolateFrog

Original Poster:

31,996 posts

188 months

Here's an interesting one.

https://news.sky.com/story/man-who-died-after-bein...

Walked into the room wearing a 9kg chain round his neck.

Doesn't answer the one obvious question raised from the article. What was she doing shouting for him to get her off the table mid procedure?

The slightly callous bit of me thinks this is classic Darwin award.

Bluevanman

8,507 posts

208 months

ChocolateFrog said:
Here's an interesting one.

https://news.sky.com/story/man-who-died-after-bein...

Walked into the room wearing a 9kg chain round his neck.

Doesn't answer the one obvious question raised from the article. What was she doing shouting for him to get her off the table mid procedure?

The slightly callous bit of me thinks this is classic Darwin award.
There's no mention of it being mid procedure.
More likely the scan was done and she needed help getting off the table.You would think there'd be a nurse there to assist with that .
I've had MRI scans and they make a point about not having metal objects on you

ChocolateFrog

Original Poster:

31,996 posts

188 months

Bluevanman said:
ChocolateFrog said:
Here's an interesting one.

https://news.sky.com/story/man-who-died-after-bein...

Walked into the room wearing a 9kg chain round his neck.

Doesn't answer the one obvious question raised from the article. What was she doing shouting for him to get her off the table mid procedure?

The slightly callous bit of me thinks this is classic Darwin award.
There's no mention of it being mid procedure.
More likely the scan was done and she needed help getting off the table.You would think there'd be a nurse there to assist with that .
But then wouldn't the machine be powering down?

When I've had an MRI they make a racket while they're doing their thing, by the time you come to get off they've slowed right down.

Panamax

6,305 posts

49 months

Surely the magnets would not be energised once the scan was complete?

Dogwatch

6,325 posts

237 months

There must be more to this. So many questions!

LeoSayer

7,538 posts

259 months

Panamax said:
Surely the magnets would not be energised once the scan was complete?
I've been in a room when one is switched off. It's still very magnetic.

MrBogSmith

3,328 posts

49 months

The article says, "...while a scan of his wife's knee was under way."

"What shall I wear to my wife's MRI scan? How about this 9kg weight lifting chain. Obvious choice for a medical facility. I'll do some F1 style neck work whilst I wait."

ChocolateFrog

Original Poster:

31,996 posts

188 months

LeoSayer said:
Panamax said:
Surely the magnets would not be energised once the scan was complete?
I've been in a room when one is switched off. It's still very magnetic.
Fair point. I'd assumed it would have to be running to be strong enough to overpower an adult male.

oddman

3,218 posts

267 months

JoshSm

1,322 posts

52 months

LeoSayer said:
Panamax said:
Surely the magnets would not be energised once the scan was complete?
I've been in a room when one is switched off. It's still very magnetic.
It's a superconducting magnet, turning the thing to a non magnetic state isn't completely trivial.

All sorts of potential fun if it happens rapidly.


J4CKO

44,417 posts

215 months

9 Kilo chain, wow, cant be many people that want something the weight of a small dog hanging round their neck ?

JoshSm

1,322 posts

52 months

ChocolateFrog said:
Fair point. I'd assumed it would have to be running to be strong enough to overpower an adult male.
They're still a *big* magnet even if not at full field strength. Considering the pull strength of something you can fit in your hand, something the size of an MRI is always going to be potent.

Bluevanman

8,507 posts

208 months

One of my scans was done in a mobile scanner,it was running constantly, presumably they switch the magnets on and off as required. A civilian shouldn't be able to just walk into the room,in fact I seem to remember the door being locked after the last nurse left

Tommo87

5,220 posts

128 months

Irrespective of what advice they gave or disclaimers the patient signed, this is a US clinic.

So, of course the Hospital will be found at fault for not stopping the husband in some way or form.



Gecko1978

11,428 posts

172 months

To be fair they did stop him some what absolutely (ref to the Gentleman)

shirt

24,360 posts

216 months

Bluevanman said:
One of my scans was done in a mobile scanner,it was running constantly, presumably they switch the magnets on and off as required. A civilian shouldn't be able to just walk into the room,in fact I seem to remember the door being locked after the last nurse left
at my local hospital [non uk] the mri suite is access controlled and there are 2 further access controlled doors between that point and being in the scanner itself. there's a briefing before you get changed and various warning posters in the changing room.

i'd have thought that the litigious nature of the US would mean similar. i don't understand how the guy was able to be within earshot.

JoshSm

1,322 posts

52 months

The magnet isn't turned on and off through the day, too much energy involved and it takes too long to stabilise.

Plus they'd work on the basis that it's on and they should have had process in place to prevent exactly this sort of thing.

I'd assume they had to do an emergency quench after the accident which can be a messy process.

Rusty Old-Banger

5,784 posts

228 months

A 9kg chain and a 10T electromagnet. I'm no physicist but he must have been yanked across the room like Wile E Coyote riding a rocket.

Timothy Bucktu

16,184 posts

215 months

Only in America springs to mind...Being allowed anywhere near the device with what sounds like the equivalent of a serious motorcycle chain around your neck does sound like a bit of a fail on the operator? I mean, you'd spot that, no?
But yes...also Darwin - very much Darwin, sadly!

fathomfive

10,513 posts

205 months

Rusty Old-Banger said:
A 9kg chain and a 10T electromagnet. I'm no physicist but he must have been yanked across the room like Wile E Coyote riding a rocket.
Meep meep.