MRI Death Might Have Been Provoked by Negligence

A man allegedly carrying an oxygen cylinder into the Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) testing room was sucked into the machine and died on Saturday, January 27.

Rajesh Maru, 32, was visiting his sister’s mother-in-law at Nair Hospital in Mumbai, and, according to Maru’s uncle, a ward assistant asked Maru to bring the cylinder into the room and assist with positioning his relative. News reports explain that the family had been asked to remove all metal objects before entering the room, and the testing room guard didn’t question the cylinder.

The staff member told the family that the MRI was off, however when they entered the room, the magnetic force immediately dragged Maru. As he was sucked in, the cylinder’s valve broke off and Maru overdosed on the leaking oxygen. He was rushed to the emergency room, but died instantly of a collapsed lung, or pneumothorax.

Three hospital staffers, including the ward assistant, a physician, and a “helper” have been arrested and are under investigation for “death by negligence.” According to The Indian Express, the ward assistant didn’t check if the MRI was on before they entered the room. The paper also explains that in municipal hospitals in India, it’s common for staff to request help from patients, and that this lax attitude should be managed and eliminated.

Maru’s family received 500,000 rupees (around $7,820 USD) in compensation.