by A 61-year-old man tragically lost his life after being pulled into an MRI machine while attempting to help his wife at a Long Island imaging center last week, according to law enforcement and media reports.
- Incident Date & Location: The fatal accident occurred around 4:30 p.m. on July 16 at Nassau Open MRI in Westbury, New York.
- Victim Identified: The man, Keith McAllister, was at the facility to assist his wife, Adrienne Jones-McAllister, who had just completed an MRI scan on her knee.
- What Happened:
- McAllister was reportedly wearing a 20-pound metal chain used for weight training.
- Despite the chain, he was allowed into the MRI room by a technician after his wife called for assistance.
- The powerful magnet of the MRI machine instantly pulled McAllister toward it, slamming him against the device.
- Wife’s Account:
- “In that instant, the machine twist him around, pulled him in and he hit the MRI,” Jones-McAllister told News12 Long Island.
- She and the technician tried to free him but were unsuccessful. “I said, ‘Could you turn off the machine, call 911, do something! Turn this damn thing off!’”
- Medical Response:
- McAllister was rushed to the hospital.
- His wife said he suffered multiple heart attacks and tragically died the next day at 2:30 p.m.
- MRI Safety Concerns:
- MRI machines use extremely strong magnets that can pull metal objects — even as large as wheelchairs — across a room.
- Patients are routinely instructed to remove all metal jewelry and accessories.
- The National Institute of Biomedical Imaging emphasizes strict safety protocols due to the magnetic force used in these machines.
The incident is under investigation, raising serious questions about safety procedures and staff training at the imaging center.
